Work Text:
It was just another day for Luo Binghe.
Attending lectures at his local university. Studying like a straight-A student in the library. Rushing to the local store to grab something to eat. And kidnapping another second-generation pretty boy.
All in a day's work.
Luo Binghe pulled on his black leather gloves using his teeth. He listened as one of his accomplices explained their little friend's situation.
"Shen Yuan. I go to school with him. We share one class. He doesn’t have many friends; he's a bit of a loner, but he’s good-looking. He’s the middle son of a low-tier rich family." Shang Qinghua reeled off.
It was lacklustre and excessive; the information didn’t hold the weight that Luo Binghe wanted. If anything, it made him question Shang Qinghua’s target-picking skills. The middle son and a loner? Low-tier? They wanted to make money off these rich kids, not befriend them.
He glanced at Shang Qinghua with slightly raised eyebrows, and the latter trembled, backing up until he hit the solid wall that was their other accomplice. Feeling a pair of cold hands snake around his waist comfortingly, Shang Qinghua gained a little confidence and added, "Although he’s the middle kid, he’s still doted on. His family will definitely pay the money."
Luo Binghe hummed, disinterested. This information satisfied him. As long as they got their cash, he couldn’t care less about any of the stupid rich kids that were fooled enough to fall into Shang Qinghua’s trap. They deserved it. Dumb second gens getting fooled by another dumb second gen. It may have made their job easier, but it was still laughable. Luo Binghe had to admit that kidnapping Shang Qinghua when they first started using this method to earn their salary was one of their better decisions.
At the time, Shang Qinghua had panicked, thinking that his indifferent parents wouldn’t pay a penny to rescue him, and, scared into almost pissing himself, he bargained with his kidnappers to become part of their circle. As a supposed wealthy young master himself, he claimed he could easily lure new targets to Luo Binghe and his partner in literal crime, Mobei Jun.
They soon discovered that Shang Qinghua wasn’t just talk. It earned a tiny rice grain of Luo Binghe’s respect.
Even if the pathetic loser was now being used as a fleshlight by their co-conspirator, Mobei Jun.
"I’ll go and keep our captive company." Luo Binghe smiled while adjusting his gloves around his wrists. He stepped closer to the door behind which sat their latest target, but stalled when he heard Shang Qinghua’s quivering voice.
"You," Shang Qinghua’s knees quaked as he took a step forward. "You won’t hurt him, will you?"
"What?" Luo Binghe sneered; his hand paused against the door. "Are you suddenly getting a conscience?"
"No! Nope! No way! No conscience here!" Shang Qinghua shook his head quickly, matching how his fingers trembled. He twisted in Mobei Jun’s arms and buried his head into his favourite muscled chest, breathing a sigh of relief as Luo Binghe pushed open the door and entered the room they had stored their captive in. He shivered one last time as he said his prayers for their victim.
**
Luo Binghe strolled leisurely into the plainly decorated room. There was a single chair in the centre, and upon the chair sat a young man with his arms tied behind his back and a thick, black blindfold covering his eyes. Clearly, he had just woken up, as Luo Binghe caught him mid-yawn, his mouth open as wide as a dumpster truck.
This kind of reaction was a first for Luo Binghe—what sort of victim wakes up blind and tied up and just yawns?—but it wasn’t absurd enough to throw Luo Binghe off kilter. Focusing on the business at hand, Luo Binghe approached the man—what was his name… Shi Yuan? Shen Jiu?—and kicked the chair leg carelessly. The harsh scrape of the metal feet against the tiled floor bounced off the walls, screeching like a knife against a dinner plate.
The man’s reaction this time was more satisfactory. He jumped, thighs twitching and feet curling, then tentatively called out, "Hello?"
Okay. Maybe it was still far from the usual screams and pleas that Luo Binghe was used to.
"Hello." Luo Binghe replied, somewhat amused by the calm response. Well, there was always a first for everything, and he had ways to light a candle of fear in someone who was clearly trying so hard to remain stable. Luo Binghe smiled, observing the man’s micro-expressions, and he explained, "I hope you don’t mind, but we are borrowing you for a little while; just until your parents pay us some money. Don’t worry; we’re only asking for a little bit of cash. I’m sure your parents love you enough to pay up, or else…"
The smile on Luo Binghe’s lips widened as his voice trailed off. There was a flicker of expectation in his gaze, and his eyes remained on his victim while he grabbed the only other piece of furniture in the room, a metal stool. Taking a seat, he anticipated the fearful and panicked reaction that was bound to come. There was nothing he loved more than seeing the blood drain from the faces of these self-righteous, lazy, pretentious snobs.
"Ooooh." Shen Yuan said—Luo Binghe finally remembered his name.
"Oh." Shen Yuan said it again. But, despite all of Luo Binghe’s calculations, there was none of the quivering, shivering tension that he had expected. To shove the stick further into the wheel, Shen Yuan asked, "How much are you asking for?"
Hm.
This…
Is not right.
Luo Binghe was silent for a moment. He wasn’t expecting his captive to question him. No one had ever questioned him before—well, other than Shang Qinghua, that special case. Did a kidnapped person even have the right to question their kidnapper? But, after a few seconds of thought, Luo Binghe reasoned that maybe the man was worried his family couldn’t afford it if they were asking for a ridiculous price. Or maybe he wanted to negotiate himself, just like a certain onahole.
"You don’t need to worry about that." Luo Binghe reassured him with an unsettling smile. "We’ve already sent the photos to your family. I’m sure they’ll pay up soon to have you home safe and sound." Although his words sounded pleasant, there was an eerie foreboding to them that any normal abducted person would find ominous.
Shen Yuan, however…
"Oh?" He turned to Luo Binghe’s general direction. The blindfold covered his eyes, masking most of his expression, so Luo Binghe was unable to comprehend what was going through this person's head.
"The photos…" Shen Yuan continued, "I seem to still be wearing clothes." His tone deepened, almost whispering as though trying to play Chinese whispers. "You didn’t take indecent pictures of me, did you?"
Right.
Maybe this person was just very good at putting up a front.
Luo Binghe chuckled at the question. He assumed that Shen Yuan was worried about his purity and maybe even his chastity. It’s true that with the age of the internet, things like indecent photos were a weapon that held a lot of weight, and nobody in their right mind would want to be toyed with by a stranger while they were unconscious. Luo Binghe’s cheeks ached from how wide his smile had grown. Now there was a handle he could use to scare the guy a little.
"Maybe we did, maybe we didn’t." Luo Binghe shrugged despite the fact that the other person couldn’t see them. He teased, "Maybe we even had a little bit of fun with you while you were sleeping."
"..." Shen Yuan apparently didn’t know what to say, and Luo Binghe was pleased with the silence. Now this is the kind of response he wanted! He watched as Shen Yuan squirmed in his seat, relishing the despair and hopelessness his victim must feel. But to his surprise, the latter chirped, "No. You haven’t done anything to me. I would feel an ache now. Unless you’re really small…"
Forget all the other times this person has made Luo Binghe question himself. This time, he choked on his own spit.
"Did you just call me small?" He accused, aggrieved and offended. Maybe he should show this guy just how big he really is!
"No, no, no, of course not." Shen Yuan replied, shaking his head and backtracking after noticing the palpable, low atmosphere. "I was just making a point." He took a breath before mumbling, "Although, if I were you, I would have done a little bit of touching at least, just to scare me."
…
"Are you…" Luo Binghe was almost left speechless. "Do you actually want me to do something to you?!
Luo Binghe never had any intention of touching this guy, even if it was to prove how well-endowed he really was. There was no way he would waste his time on a petty prince, but now it sounded like the man was a little… disappointed? He was disappointed! What kind of fucking lunatic would be disappointed about that?!
"Not at all." Shen Yuan rushed to say, disrupting Luo Binghe’s chaotic thoughts. Shen Yuan’s cheeks glowed sunset pink with his agitation. He hastily said, "And I don’t mean to tell you how to do your job either." He quieted for a moment, murmuring, "But…"
His shoulders drooped, and he zipped his lips.
Lost for words, Luo Binghe stared at this person tied up in front of him. This guy, not only did he question the size of his pillar, but was he really criticising their kidnapping technique?
While Luo Binghe pondered this ridiculous thought, Shen Yuan began to fidget in his seat. Luo Binghe noticed and lifted his leg to stomp between Shen Yuan’s parted legs and hold the chair still. He was still holding a grudge after his pride was insulted.
"Stop moving if you know what’s good for you!" He glared although the other couldn’t see it.
He hoped that a bit of physical intimidation would trigger a fearful quiver in Shen Yuan’s lower lip. However, Shen Yuan was consistent, and instead, Luo Binghe was met with an even brighter blush and a question that sounded suspiciously hopeful.
"Why? Will you cut off one of my fingers as punishment and then send it to my parents as a threat?"
Luo Binghe had lost count of the number of times Shen Yuan caused his brain and mouth to stop working. The thought of actually inflicting violence had never crossed his mind. But now that Shen Yuan had mentioned it, the thought grew more appealing…
"Aaah, forget it." Luo Binghe’s darkening thoughts were interrupted by Shen Yuan’s bitter and bold evaluation. "You seem like a noob at this. You haven’t done anything to me so far; clearly, you’re harmless."
…
This guy… He really had a way of pushing every single one of Luo Binghe’s buttons.
And he didn’t stop there!
"I bet we’re somewhere typical as well, like in an abandoned warehouse."
Luo Binghe looked around; they were indeed in an abandoned warehouse.
"And you probably didn’t even ask for enough money for me."
Luo Binghe wanted to sneer, but Shen Yuan rattled on.
"Do you even know how much I’m worth? You’ve probably undercharged thinking that my family is only low-tier, tch."
Luo Binghe almost scoffed. What kind of spoiled brat is this?! He really wanted to argue with this freak, but the punk was so chatty that he couldn’t get a word in at all!
"I bet you’ve almost been caught every single time you’ve kidnapped someone."
Hey. They had only been almost caught twice. Twice . Not that Shen Yuan would care if he knew; he was brutal with his opinion.
Finally, Shen Yuan wilted in his chair with a heavy sigh.
"Haaaah. You can’t even get a competent kidnapper nowadays."
Luo Binghe’s last nerve was close to snapping. His stool tumbled and rolled with a clatter as he stood up and reached over to grab Shen Yuan’s chin in his gloved hand. The leather rubbed against flesh, and he squeezed his fingers into Shen Yuan’s cheeks, pursing the blindfolded man's lips and imprinting purple marks. Red flooded his vision, and a quiet rage churned in his stomach.
He leaned in close, only a breath away from Shen Yuan’s face. If only the latter could see his ferocious expression, maybe that would instill some fear in the moron. Luo Binghe controlled the stormy ocean waves inside him, and his throat rumbled into barely a whisper.
"Who do you think has control of your safety right now?"
Generally, as a rule, Luo Binghe didn’t hurt any of the unfortunate souls they kidnapped. It wasn’t because he was averse to it—these damn rich kids deserved a bit of a beating for flaunting their wealth—but he usually couldn’t be bothered to waste any more energy and complicate matters. However, that didn’t mean he wouldn’t resort to violence if the mood struck him. And at this moment, he felt particularly murderous.
Perhaps, he thought, being manhandled would silence the snooty, know-it-all young master. Contrary to his expectatation, the snooty, know-it-all young master grew even more excited.
"Ooooh! Ish thish when yew weawise I’m bwetter wooking fan yew fought? Are yew gwoing to twouch mwe nwow?"
Luo Binghe couldn’t see his captive's eyes thanks to the blindfold, but he had a feeling that if he removed the cloth, the latter's eyes would probably be shining.
Fuck!
Luo Binghe was aware of his own faults. He could sometimes fly off the handle. If he lost his temper, those around him would desperately pray for him to find it again. He had been called crazy on more than one occasion, but now, facing his current abductee, Luo Binghe thought that he was actually pretty sane. It was Shen Yuan who was the real psycho. What the hell? Didn’t Shang Qinghua say this guy was a quiet and shy bookworm??? What the fuck!!!
As if right on cue, the door behind them opened, and Shang Qinghua poked his head in. His words were like a saving grace, like an angel spreading God’s word. Luo Binghe had never been so relieved to hear, "We’ve got the money, but the police are on the way."
It was funny. The kidnapper should have panicked at this point. Their kidnapping was successful, but now they had to run from the cops. Luo Binghe should have been anxious about it all, yet he actually felt eternally grateful.
Shen Yuan, on the other hand…
"Wah? Ish dat ih?" He was the first to respond to the news. He was loud and critical, bossy and pushy. Luo Binghe wished he had put a gag in his mouth so he wouldn’t have to hear him say, "It’sh dis eashy? Where wash the torture? Where wash the viowence and thweats? Where wash the taking adbantage of my body againsht my will? Tsk, tsk, tsk, kidnappers are pwetty wazy, am I wight?"
The two kidnappers settled into a discombobulated silence.
Shang Qinghua looked at Luo Binghe, who wore a tired and defeated expression. Luo Binghe smartly decided to ignore the insane ramblings of their victim and instead pushed Shen Yuan’s face away, wiping his gloved hand on his trouser leg like he had touched some sort of infectious creature.
"Good." He spat, refusing to even look in Shen Yuan’s direction. "Let’s get out of here."
He couldn’t wait to get away from this crazy person!
****
Luo Binghe sat on a chair at the side of a plush bed. His elbows settled on his knees, and he stared at the mound of body on the mattress without blinking. There was a deep, unfathomable emotion in his eyes, and it flickered like a lighthouse when the person on the bed shuffled and groaned. He waited for the man to roll over, watching expectantly as the person somehow scrambled to a seated position despite his hands tied behind his back.
"A-Yuan, you’re awake?" Luo Binghe’s voice was softer than the last time he spoke to him. In fact, he was more gentle than he had ever been in his life. He reached out and tenderly brushed Shen Yuan’s bangs away from his forehead; his fingertips grazed the thick, black blindfold covering Shen Yuan’s eyes. "How are you feeling?" He asked softly, "Still tired? You can sleep some more if you want to. Do you want some water?"
"Water." Shen Yuan rasped, licking his dry lips like a man stranded in the desert.
Luo Binghe watched that pink tongue dart out, and his gaze darkened like the depths of the ocean. His thoughts were unreadable as he reached for the nearby glass of water and raised it to Shen Yuan’s lips, his eyes remaining on the drooping figure. When Shen Yuan took a sip, Luo Binghe’s eyes drifted and were stolen by the sight of Shen Yuan’s adam’s apple rolling, followed by the trail of water that escaped and trickled down his chin.
It was a view that easily tempted and teased a man's heart.
Using his thumb, Luo Binghe caught the stream and licked it clean, belatedly wondering why he hadn't used his tongue directly. Somewhat regretful, he removed the glass from Shen Yuan’s lips, then placed his own directly over the smudge marks on the glass, downing the remaining liquid in one go. He licked his lips, all the while his gaze was directed at Shen Yuan’s shiny, wet mouth.
"Have," Shen Yuan cleared his throat. "Have I been kidnapped again?"
His calm demeanour was a striking contrast to his question and reminded Luo Binghe of their first encounter. His gaze softened again, the turbid storm calming momentarily.
"No, not at all, baobei." He cooed, stroking Shen Yuan’s cheek before slowly rubbing his thumb over his lower lip, indulging in the supple pliability. "I just want to keep you safe until our wedding."
**
After Shen Yuan had been sent home to his parents the first time, Luo Binghe was left feeling a little bit frazzled. Never had they ever dealt with someone as… unique as Shen Yuan. He wasn’t fazed at all when kidnapped, and he even criticised their skill level. He even insulted Luo Binghe’s size! If he didn’t know any better, Luo Binghe would have thought the guy wanted to be kidnapped! Every time Luo Binghe thought about it, his teeth gnashed and his chest tightened.
He thought that, over time, that vexing memory would fade like an overwashed shirt. He assumed that he would grow immune to the agitation the other riled up within him, like time healing all wounds. Who would have guessed that Shen Yuan was more like a small star that shines brightly in the night sky? He appeared intermittently, burning brightly for billions of years.
At first, it was just an odd reminder. Whenever Luo Binghe returned to that warehouse after the police were gone, he would step into the room and remember Shen Yuan tied to the chair. The sharp memory of those irritating, contemptuous words would cause his hands to curl into fists, crescent moons carved into his palms.
Then, as time went by, thoughts of Shen Yuan would pop up when they kidnapped their next target. The quivering, drooling, snotty rich kids would cry and plead for their lives like weak little mammals threatened by a tiger. Luo Binghe would scoff at them; how pathetic! Shen Yuan hadn’t reacted like this at all. He was prideful and courageous. He even gave them tips! This was something that Luo Binghe remembered every time they pretended to take indecent photos of their victims and use them as a threat.
It was like a snowball at the top of a mountain, rolling down the hillside, gaining momentum, and picking up snow until it eventually crashed into an avalanche that buried him alive.
Before Luo Binghe knew it, almost every thought held the shadow of a certain obscure young master. And then his train of thought would veer even more off-track.
One day, when Luo Binghe walked in to see their latest captive, he realised that they were using the same chair and blindfold that had been used for Shen Yuan. Something curdled in his stomach, hot and fierce. It blinded his eyes and blanked his mind. He kicked over the chair with the person still attached, and it crashed onto the floor with a bang and a wail. Luo Binghe stormed out of the room; a black mist seemed to wrap around him, and he demanded that Shang Qinghua change the chair and blindfold.
He confiscated the ones that Shen Yuan had used and kept them separate and safe. With the chair and blindfold used on Shen Yuan in his possession, perhaps his mood should have lightened like a feather falling to earth, but when he thought about the fact they had been used on others since Shen Yuan’s time, Luo Binghe’s shoulders and heart felt heavy.
Luo Binghe had tossed the unclean blindfold aside and reminded himself of the proud, arrogant little rich kid that swarmed his thoughts every day like a nest of hornets. Now that Luo Binghe recalled the image, the black blindfold looked particularly delicious against Shen Yuan’s skin; it evoked dangerous, dirty thoughts in impure minds. Shen Yuan’s hair looked soft to the touch, and Luo Binghe rubbed his fingertips together, imagining the texture. And there were also Shen Yuan’s pouting lips that spouted the most outrageous sentences. Luo Binghe chewed his own lower lip.
At the time, he was reclining on a sofa, and Shang Qinghua just happened to pop up his unfortunate head after sending off their latest bruised and battered victim.
"Hey." Luo Binghe called out, snapping his fingers to summon their dog. He recalled that Shang Qinghua usually provided an image of their targets, but Luo Binghe was rarely interested enough to pay attention. He held out his hand, waiting rather impatiently as he demanded, "Show me a picture of Shen Yuan."
Shang Qinghua tripped over his scurrying feet, his eyes wide and rapidly blinking. He stupidly asked, "Why?"
Luo Binghe responded by raising his eyebrow, and Shang Qinghua quivered in his boots. Despite appearing somewhat hesitant, he pulled up a picture on his phone and handed it over to Luo Binghe.
A smiling, happy picture of Shen Yuan laughing out loud at something.
It tugged on something in Luo Binghe’s chest, and the rate of his heartbeat increased.
The image was quickly sent and saved to Luo Binghe’s phone. Then it was set as his home screen. Then the photo took over Luo Binghe’s lock screen. Then, courtesy of Shang Qinghua, new photos were added to Luo Binghe’s collection every week, then every day. And then, on a certain sunny day, after witnessing Shen Yuan audaciously smiling at another man, the phone in Luo Binghe’s hand cracked. How dare Shen Yuan flirt with another man?!
Ultimately, only one thought remained:
Shen Yuan is mine .
**
Luo Binghe recalled all of those months when Shen Yuan wasn’t within his grasp. Now he smiled, his thumb playfully tugging Shen Yuan’s lower lip as a distant echo of wedding bells rang in his ears.
"Wedding? What wedding?" Shen Yuan was genuinely confused. It seeped into the lilt of his voice, and Luo Binghe thought it was adorable. The crinkles at the corners of his eyes deepened.
Ruffling Shen Yuan’s hair, just as he had dreamed for so many nights, Luo Binghe chuckled.
"Our wedding, of course. Who else would be marrying A-Yuan?"
It was an obvious question, really. No one else was allowed to marry Shen Yuan. No one else was allowed to touch him like this. Or at all. And no one else was allowed to peel off his clothing piece by piece, listen to the sounds of his moaning, or see his pleasured tears.
Only Luo Binghe could be so blessed.
"I think we should get married as soon as possible, A-Yuan." He continued, painting a picture of his fantasy for the object of his affection. "I’ll wear a black suit, and you can wear white." His eyes sparkled, and he moved his hand to stroke Shen Yuan’s ear. Pinching the soft lobe, he gently coaxed, "I’ll pierce your ear later so you can wear a black earring and I’ll wear white. We’ll match. I promise it won’t hurt. I wouldn’t ever hurt my baobei."
Luo Binghe felt an overwhelming happiness as he touched and stroked the person in front of him. It was a beautiful dream. One that he would ensure took form in reality. The sun would shine, and the birds would chirp. Luo Binghe lived in his daydream, oblivious and uncaring to Shen Yuan’s reaction and expression.
"What colour scheme should we have?" He asked, relishing their skin-to-skin contact. "I thought black and white would work well, as those are the colours we will be dressed in." He paused and scowled. "Actually, I don’t think we should have white. That’s the colour you’ll be wearing. There can’t be anything else in white at the wedding."
The thought of something or someone else wearing the same colour as Shen Yuan made Luo Binghe’s fingers tingle and itch. They wanted to claw at the offending something or someone until nothing remained but strands of confetti. Luo Binghe tried to distract himself.
"Would you like a big wedding with lots of guests?" Luo Binghe quizzed, then voiced his own opinion. "I think I would prefer something more intimate. Just a few guests. No. Maybe we should just elope. A small ceremony where only the two of us are present. That would be perfect."
With precision and intent, Luo Binghe traced his fingers from Shen Yuan’s ear, across his jawline, and then down his throat, enjoying the small lump there. He savoured the taste of Shen Yuan’s skin under his fingertips, and he pressed his thumb lightly against his throat knot, feeling it roll under his touch. A smile curled his lips, and he looped his hand around Shen Yuan’s neck, resting his palm on Shen Yuan’s nape. His fingers lightly scratched the sensitive skin, and a slight shiver shook Shen Yuan’s body. What a delightful response to his touch!
"A-Yuan, you have no idea how much I have missed you recently. I hope you missed me just as much." Luo Binghe sighed. It was a sound overflowing with satisfaction now that this person was within his sight, within touching distance. "Baobei, I’ll need to meet your parents soon; I wouldn’t want them to reject our marriage. That would make me very angry. I don’t want to get angry at your— our— parents. What gift should I give them at our first meeting to make sure they like me?"
It was a question akin to a child's at Christmas. Overflowing with eager enthusiasm. The thought of their happy future, where Luo Binghe could hold this person at any time, was something of a splendorous dream that he never wanted to wake from.
But, of course, one must always wake up.
"Like you?" Shen Yuan finally spoke. His voice trembled, but it wasn’t with excitement or fear. His words were full of scathing venom, and he spat, "You kidnapped me, and you expect my parents to like you? You think that I would like you?"
There was a distinct pause, a frigid tension. Luo Binghe’s hand tightened on Shen Yuan’s nape, his sharp nails digging into the tender flesh. His thoughts were full of static and white noise, completely indecipherable.
Then the tension evaporated.
"You’re right, A-Yuan. I shouldn’t have used ‘ like’ ." Luo Binghe sighed, loosening his hold. His stormy expression returned to gentle waves, and he began to caress Shen Yuan’s nape again, reassuringly, possessively . He said, "I need them to love me. I need them to love me. Just like I love you, A-Yuan. I love you. And you love me too, don’t you?"
A rigid pressure bore down on the room. It was unnerving and strained. Thick enough that not even a hammer could create a crack.
The blindfold obscuring Shen Yuan’s eyes masked his expression. It hid away any rejection that Luo Binghe wanted to ignore, but after a moment of silence, Shen Yuan’s mouth ran free.
"You’re insane." He half laughed.
Then, it was like a dormant volcano finally erupted after many years of pent-up activity.
Shen Yuan struggled on the bed. He wriggled his body, squirming awkwardly under Luo Binghe’s touch, resisting him. Luo Binghe panicked.
"A-Yuan, behave!" He cried as he put pressure on Shen Yuan’s neck. He reached with his other hand to try and hold Shen Yuan still, but the latter only fought back harder.
"You’re a madman!" Shen Yuan roared, flailing his legs about. "You’re crazy! A lunatic!"
Each shout, each kick, and each struggle were carved into Luo Binghe’s delicate heart. They scratched in deep, wide, painful patterns, bleeding red.
"A fiend! A freak!"
Crimson flooded Luo Binghe’s senses, seeping into his eyes and mouth; the taste of iron was rich upon his tongue.
"You’re diabolical! A maniac!"
His mind fogged with a thick haze as he strived to keep Shen Yuan still, pressing into him until he pinned him down onto the bed.
"You’re nuts! Demented!"
Luo Binghe pressed into Shen Yuan, sinking deeper into the mattress. He fought to keep the bloody tidal wave inside his body at bay.
"A screwball! A psycho!"
The tension strung in Luo Binghe’s body was like a rope in a tug of war pulled taut. One side wanted to keep Shen Yuan safe and unharmed; the other wanted to shut him up through any possible means. The rope stretched and stretched, fraying fibre by fibre.
"As if I could ever love you !"
And then it snapped.
"Mmphh!!!"
Luo Binghe bit down on Shen Yuan’s lower lip, invading both of their mouths with rich wine. It was intoxicating, exhilarating, and thrilling. Enough to override any other emotion, and his instincts kicked in. His hands fondled Shen Yuan’s waist, and he lapped up the satisfying, spicy droplets that dripped from Shen Yuan’s lips.
"Nghh!!!"
He overpowered the writhing body below him, securing Shen Yuan to the bed with most of his strength. He palmed at the skin of Shen Yuan’s middle, where the latter’s clothing had lifted from their fight. Luo Binghe captured Shen Yuan’s lips in a violent tangle.
Gnawing and biting, licking and sucking, Luo Binghe pried open Shen Yuan’s reluctant teeth and besieged his mouth. He chased after Shen Yuan’s retreating tongue, coaxing and baiting it into submission until the only sounds in the room were sloppy kisses and soft whines. Even Shen Yuan’s wriggling body slowed until it twitched pleasantly.
Luo Binghe sank further into the kiss, one hand slipping into the waistband of Shen Yuan’s pants, the other reaching up to lace into the hair at the back of Shen Yuan’s head. His fingers dazedly brushed over the thick knot of the blindfold, pushing it up and out of place as his other hand ventured further to squeeze a plump cheek.
Then Shen Yuan’s pliant body noticeably stiffened.
Luo Binghe had been lost in the moment, affected by the feeling of having his most desired person in his hands to play with at will. When Shen Yuan had melted like a puddle in his arms, he had forgotten where he was and the situation he had created. Disoriented, he blinked his eyes open.
In his senseless haze, Luo Binghe had knocked the blindfold from its position. Now he could gaze upon the pair of pretty, inky-coloured eyes up close. Immediately upon being stared at by those wide-open and stunned eyes, any blood that remained flowing in Luo Binghe’s veins all rushed south, and he choked.
"A-Yuan."
****
Shen Yuan groaned. Did he fall asleep somewhere? When did he become so tired? No, why can’t he move his arms? Shen Yuan felt as though he had woken up on a plank of wood adrift at sea. His throat was parched, like a patch of razed grass after a wildfire. He scrambled to a dizzy seated position, his head spinning like a plate on a stick.
"A-Yuan, you’re awake?" Shen Yuan heard a somewhat familiar voice speak to him. "How are you feeling? Still tired? You can sleep some more if you want to. Do you want some water?"
Oh , that would be wonderful. Shen Yuan flexed his aching fingers and licked his dry lips. He sounded like he had swallowed a mouthful of gravel as he rasped, "Water."
The cold rim of a glass pressed against Shen Yuan’s dry lips, and a steady stream of ice-cold liquid flowed into his mouth. It was so refreshing that it trickled down his chin as he eagerly gulped it down. He felt something touch his face, wiping away the stray trails of water, and Shen Yuan had the urge to thank the person. But with his throat no longer on fire, a little bit of clarity returned to Shen Yuan’s foggy mind.
"Have," Shen Yuan croaked, then cleared his throat, twisting his head though he could see nothing through the thick blindfold across his eyes. "Have I been kidnapped again?"
A terrifying question to ask, but Shen Yuan only had a little flutter of excitement in his stomach, like a newly hatched butterfly stretching its wings. The vague understanding of his situation flipped Shen Yuan’s belly, and if his eyes were uncovered, his expectant gaze would have been wildly shining like polished onyx.
It wasn’t all that long ago that he was kidnapped for ransom. Admittedly, at that time, it was all orchestrated by him and his friend, Shang Qinghua. But Shang Qinghua had assured him that the two main culprits of the kidnapping wouldn’t be any the wiser that he was actually in on the plan. He used his pocket money to fund the ransom price, and the police were just a facade, so Shang Qinghua could help him get out without alerting the two main culprits.
Aaaah, all he wanted was the experience portrayed in all of those BL novels his sister liked to read. Where the main character gets kidnapped and roughed up a little. Maybe some embarrassing photos are taken, and he gets touched a bit. Is it so wrong that he wanted to experience being a protagonist for once? Plus, Shang Qinghua was involved; as unreliable as he is, he wasn’t so useless that he would actually let Shen Yuan suffer too much.
In all honesty, though, Shen Yuan was disappointed with his experience. It was just so… so… tame.
However, it looked like Shang Qinghua took his feedback on board, and now they are ready to try again! Shang Qinghua really should have told him first, but maybe this time he could enjoy the full BL experience with the element of surprise!
And so he intently waited for the positive answer to his question. Had he really been kidnapped again?
"No, not at all, baobei." The kidnappers' voice was soft, like coaxing a kitten. He said, "I just want to keep you safe until our wedding."
Shen Yuan’s elation fizzled out, turning into ashes of confusion. A hand cupped his cheek; it was warm and big, and then a thumb rubbed against his lower lip. If he weren’t so baffled, perhaps he would have thought he was experiencing exactly what he had wanted from the beginning. Instead, he decided to gain an understanding of his current situation.
"Wedding? What wedding?"
What sort of off-course plot twist was this? It really threw Shen Yuan for a loop, and he wondered if the guy had possibly gotten the wrong person; he wasn’t engaged to anyone at all, and he’s pretty sure he would remember! He felt his hair ruffled by a large, warm hand. It was comforting, and he unwittingly felt somewhat calmer.
"Our wedding, of course." The man chuckled. Shen Yuan wouldn’t have been surprised if he was affectionately called a silly goose. But what he really focused on was the hypnotic tone that raised the hairs on his arms.
The man dotingly asked, "Who else would be marrying A-Yuan?"
Shen Yuan couldn’t answer that question.
…
Oh! Oh! Oh!
Just then, a thought occurred to him: Maybe this was a plan that Shang Qinghua had come up with. Perhaps to improve on the previous experience, Shang Qinghua decided to give his accomplices a script, and to spice things up a little, this guy was putting on a crazy act. According to Shang Qinghua, the kidnappers enjoyed making their targets squirm.
That must be it!
There’s no way this guy could genuinely have kidnapped Shen Yuan to marry him. And it’s impossible to think he had kidnapped the wrong person—what kind of stalker would kidnap the wrong fiance!
That’s got to be it!
"I think we should get married as soon as possible, A-Yuan." The man continued his spiel, and Shen Yuan relished the situation. "I’ll wear a black suit, and you can wear white." A hand gently stroked Shen Yuan’s ear, pinching the lobe, and Shen Yuan swallowed. "I’ll pierce your ear later so you can wear a black earring and I’ll wear white. We will match. I promise it won’t hurt. I wouldn’t ever hurt my baobei."
Fuck . Shen Yuan couldn’t help but wonder if it made him a little crazy that he thought it was hot. The man’s voice was deep but boyish; it held a certain charm that mesmerised Shen Yuan. Now this was more like the trashy BL novels he stole from his sister! His lips couldn’t help but curl, forgetting that he was part of the play.
"What colour scheme should we have?" The man questioned. He spoke in a certain rhythm that tickled Shen Yuan’s eardrums the same way the thumb on his lobe did. "I thought black and white would work well, as those are the colours we will be dressed in." Shen Yuan was impressed with the dedication this person had for his job. The man read his script with commitment: "Actually, I don’t think we should have white. That’s the colour you’ll be wearing. There can’t be anything else in white at the wedding."
The way this man could say the most nonsensical things in such a soothing voice really encouraged Shen Yuan’s fighting spirit!
"Would you like a big wedding with lots of guests? I think I would prefer something more intimate. Just a few guests. No. Maybe we should just elope. A small ceremony where only the two of us are present. That would be perfect."
The kidnapper carried on this one-sided conversation and traced his fingers from Shen Yuan’s ear, across his jawline, and then down to his throat. A thumb stopped on the knot in Shen Yuan’s throat and pressed down, not too hard but not too soft either. There was a burning in Shen Yuan’s throat, and he swallowed the hum of approval before it could interrupt their flow. Then the hand lightly shifted from the front of his neck to the back. It hooked Shen Yuan’s nape and scratched the skin, baiting a tremble from him as one of his sensitive erogenous zones was teased.
"A-Yuan, you have no idea how much I have missed you recently. I hope you missed me just as much." The man sighed. It was heavy and thick with emotion. Shen Yuan had to give this guy a massive thumbs up for his acting skills. The man said, "Baobei, I’ll need to meet your parents soon; I wouldn’t want them to reject our marriage. That would make me very angry. I don’t want to get angry at your— our— parents. What gift should I give them at our first meeting to make sure they like me?"
At this time, despite the warm itchiness of his ears upon hearing that voice call him baobei, Shen Yuan figured it was time for him to get in on the act. Curbing his smile, he took a deep breath and summoned everything he had learned from sleazy novels, comics, and shows.
"Like you?" He spat, forcing his voice into something vicious. "You kidnapped me, and you expect my parents to like you? You think that I would like you?"
There was a pause, and the pleasant flow stagnated for a moment. Shen Yuan bit his lip; he worried that he had said something wrong. Did he throw the guy off his rhythm? However, he subtly felt the hand on his nape tighten, sharp nails digging into his flesh. Oh, Shen Yuan was learning a lot about himself today. It actually felt quite stimulating.
"You’re right, A-Yuan. I shouldn’t have used ‘ like .’" The man sighed again; his hold loosened, and he caressed the half-moon marks he had made in reassuring circles. "I need them to love me. I need them to love me. Just like I love you, A-Yuan. I love you. And you love me too, don’t you?"
Shen Yuan was left a little speechless. This kidnapper was truly talented! Although the guy didn’t know that Shen Yuan was in on the act, it really was too believable! He couldn’t let this man down!
"You’re insane." Shen Yuan gasped, with a quiver in his voice and a disbelieving laugh in his throat. He began to struggle on the bed, wriggling his body and kicking his legs. He dedicated himself to fighting off this "kidnapper".
"A-Yuan, behave!" The man half-screamed and tried to pin Shen Yuan down.
Ooooh . Another thing that Shen Yuan learned about himself today. That voice commanding him like that sparked a tingle at the base of Shen Yuan’s spine like a firecracker. He enthusiastically fought back harder.
"You’re a madman!" He roared. "You’re crazy! A lunatic!"
He yelled at the top of his lungs.
"A fiend! A freak!"
"You’re diabolical! A maniac!"
Shen Yuan grew ever more excited as he felt a body press against him, toppling him onto the mattress to pin him down.
"You’re nuts! Demented!"
He racked his brain for as many adjectives as he could think of as he sank deeper into the bed.
"A screwball! A psycho!"
Running out of insulting words, Shen Yuan rounded up his insults with a killer statement he learned from one of his 18+ movies.
"As if I could ever love you !"
Then Shen Yuan was silenced.
"Mmphh!!!"
A harsh pain split his lower lip, and his mouth was invaded by a foreign tongue. Blood spread over the muscle, seeping into his taste buds at the same time as what felt like the entirety of his mouth was tasted, savoured, and devoured. His lip was sucked, both soothing and agitating the cut that had been bitten there, and a pair of hands slid to his bare and exposed waist.
"Nghh!!!"
A strangled moan left the man's lips, and Shen Yuan’s legs softened like melting chocolate. His waist turned to jelly, and his fruitless struggle waned until he became an active participant in their entanglement. He wished his hands were untied so he could grip something other than the silky sheets below him. He wished he had strength in his legs so he could wrap them around his attacker's waist. This, this is more than what he had expected, but it was definitely in line with the videos his sister had shared with him. And it certainly helped that the man’s voice and kissing skills were high-class. He couldn’t bring himself to push the other person away and break their act.
Even when a hand began to slip inside his waistband, Shen Yuan only whined at the electrifying touch and the memory of that voice calling him baobei. He fell further into the scene, blurring the already unclear lines. It was only when a hand stretched underneath his head and tugged on his hair that Shen Yuan realised the blindfold that had kept him in the dark for so long had shifted. He considered keeping his eyes closed and remaining in the moment, maintaining their act for a little bit longer, but the temptation to see this man with the alluring voice and violently teasing kissing skills was strong. Surely, with a voice that appealing, his looks couldn’t be too bad.
Shen Yuan blinked his eyes and was blinded by the light after seeing only darkness. It took a few moments for his sight to clear, enough time for the dangerously straying hand down below to grab one of his cheeks and squeeze, and he saw the person assaulting him.
He froze and his mind blanked completely.
The sudden change in Shen Yuan’s weak compliance seemed to startle the man, and Shen Yuan gulped as the man's long lashes fluttered and a pair of dark, vortex-like eyes fanned open and threatened to drag him to his end.
There was a noticeable shift in the atmosphere as their eyes met for the first time. The kidnappers cheeks flushed a deep red. Shen Yuan also felt another swelling change in the other's body, and the choked moan of "A-Yuan" rang in his ears.
Shen Yuan remembered to breathe. It was deep and unsteady, shaking his whole body, and he didn’t dare to blink. He stared at the panting man on top of him and swallowed thickly, his mouth as dry as a field in a prolonged heatwave. He clenched his hands, then flexed his numb fingers, tilting his head provocatively to the side. He gazed up at the man and asked:
"Is this the part when you fuck me?"