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“Yin Yu. I’m sure you’ve seen our new…guest,” Hua Cheng said.
“Yes, Hua Chengzhu. It would be hard not to hear his screams,” Yin Yu replied.
“Well, in all the effort it took to get him here, I’d prefer him to stay alive. Could you treat his injuries?”
“...Of course,” Yin Yu grumbled. He dragged his feet as he left the room, displeased. He trudged through Paradise Manor before turning into a rarely used wing of the house. Shining, white walls quickly turned dull and dusty. It was where Hua Cheng housed his unwelcome guests. A prison, for lack of better words. Before long, Qi Rong’s screeching could be heard. They really needed to update the silencing talismans. Finally arriving at Qi Rong’s “room”, Yin Yu began to carefully undo the array holding it shut.
Yin Yu swung the door open. Qi Rong was bound with ropes in the center of the room. His eyes grew wide at the sight of the Waning Moon Officer.
“Pah! Are you here to kill me?” Qi Rong spit the words onto the floor. “If you’re going to do it, make it quick!”
Yin Yu didn’t reply. He tested Qi Rong’s bonds – they held firm. Qi Rong’s robes were bloody, with gashes up his arm and his torso.
“Hold still,” Yin Yu said. As if Qi Rong would ever follow instructions.
“Yeah yeah, like I can move. Your boss is real generous with his prisoners.”
“You aren’t a prisoner.” He pulled bandages from his robes, and set to work on Qi Rong’s wounds.
“Then what am I? I know I’m only alive because it would hurt His Highnesses’ feelings if I died.” Qi Rong put no respect into the title. But it wasn’t spoken with malice, “As if. My dog fucked cousin holds no kindness towards me. And why should he?”
Yin Yu paused. “So you’re aware.”
Qi Rong barked a laugh. “Yeah? Who isn’t? Do you really think I’m that fucking dumb? Ha! You truly underestimate this ancestor.”
“I don’t think you’re dumb,” Yin Yu said. As annoying as it was, the more Qi Rong talked, the less he thrashed around.
“Really? Bah, of course not! After all, I’ve managed to become a ghost king!”
Yin Yu stood up. He’d finished cleaning Qi Rong’s wounds. He picked the vial up from behind him and scanned Qi Rong.
“Are you going to fight me if I make you drink this?” Yin Yu asked bluntly.
Qi Rong blinked. “Probably.”
Yin Yu sighed, defeated. He was already bruised enough.
“Open your mouth.”
Qi Rong glared at Yin Yu.
“Come on, I’m not going to poison you or anything.”
“...Fine.”
Qi Rong shot daggers at Yin Yu, but begrudgingly drank the healing elixir. He grimaced as it went down his throat - slimy and bitter. Not entirely unlike some people Yin Yu knew.
“Blech. That was the worst shit I’ve ever tasted. Are you trying to kill me?” Qi Rong spat on the ground. But his voice, usually grating and sharp, had been dulled and softened.
Yin Yu didn’t respond. He picked the glass vial up and turned away.
✦✦✦
“Yin Yu,” Hua Cheng called.
“Mn?” Yin Yu entered his office.
“I hear that Qi Rong refuses to see anyone but you.”
“...Oh,” Yin Yu replied. He was taken aback by that, considering Qi Rong seemed to hate him.
“He’s … ah … particularly violent towards anyone else. You wouldn’t mind continuing to care for him, would you?”
“No, Hua Chengzhu. I’ll deal with him.” Yin Yu felt another weight added to his daily burden. It seemed heavier than the rest.
Yin Yu returned the next day, and the day after that. It became part of his daily routine.
At some point, it turned from simply taking care of Qi Rong, to Yin Yu wanting to see Qi Rong. When he wasn’t screaming at the top of his lungs, he was pleasant to be around.
Ok, fine. Maybe not pleasant to be exact. Tolerable. He wasn’t dumb, and he was surprisingly observant.
Yin Yu stopped leaving right after he tended to Qi Rong’ wounds. He started to linger, to become reluctant to leave. But every step he took closer to Qi Rong, Qi Rong would hesitate and step back.
✦✦✦
God, what was the deal with Yin Yu? He kept coming back, he didn’t seem bothered by Qi Rong’s brash attitude, and was being kind.
No, what was the deal with Qi Rong? Why did his heart skip and dance when Yin Yu looked at him?
He didn’t feel any overwhelming anger like he did with his precious white lotus cousin, or that dog Crimson Rain. He felt no malice towards Yin Yu.
And Qi Rong hated it.
To want something, to want to be close with Yin Yu, it terrified him. To not feel the hot, burning rush of anger, but instead cold, cool water. To have it snuff out his fire and replace it with cold, dead, ashes.
So Qi Rong doubled down. He snapped and snarled and pushed Yin Yu away. Because Yin Yu cared, and everyone that ever cared for him ended up dead.
And the ones who hate him, who loathe him, who leave, live wonderful lives.
Even his own cousin, his family, his blood. He was the last thing they cared about, abandoned at the first sign of trouble.
Blood might be thicker than water, but both would dry eventually.
And one would stain, leaving Qi Rong with a constant reminder of the fact that no one loved him.
Because even when Yin Yu healed the cuts on his skin, the gashes in his heart still bled. They scarred over, rough and messy. But with every smile Yin Yu directed his way, another opened anew.
And it hurt.
God, it hurt so bad.
He wanted to claw his heart out of his chest to make it stop. To pour acid in his eyes so he couldn’t see Yin Yu anymore. To rip his voice out, so he wouldn’t be cruel any longer.
And oh, oh he so desperately wished for Yin Yu to kiss his forehead and say it’ll be alright.
But no matter how many stars Qi Rong wished upon, their fire was always snuffed out before they could grant him joy.
So he would just keep staring at the night sky, wishing and hoping.
But the sky would run out of stars before Qi Rong could truly smile.