Work Text:
Zhu Yan losing control over the malicious qi was a sight to behold. And Li Lun was the one he was looking at.
Li Lun licked his lips, breathing shallowly, waiting. He relished the still, scarlet gaze on him, the knowledge that he was the only one who could hold the Great Demon here, the only one who could hold the Great Demon's attention. And -
Slowly at first, then like a lightning bolt, the immense power running through Zhu Yan's body flared towards him, licking at his skin with fire, looking to consume him. He held on till he couldn't, the flame that was his lover burning through his defenses, throwing him to the ground as easily as if he was a young tree in a hurricane. He was pinned down, his energy seized, his life force surging to meet Zhu Yan's - pull for pull, thrust for thrust. He never felt more alive than under Zhu Yan's clawed hands, taken greedily, violently, knowing he could be torn apart at any moment. This was his, his alone. This was theirs, this was his home. He held onto the power and strength pouring into him, greedily, violently, and the Wilderness around them shook and the sky burned crimson.
~*~
He opened his eyes to darkness, quiet and familiar, and the weight of shackles pulling at his limbs. Almost immediately, the steady current of fire in his veins surged up, choking breath out of him, and he coughed around the taste of ash in his mouth - as if he could ever expel the smoulder from his lungs. Bending double, trying to steady himself against the dais to which he was chained, he was grateful for the sharp edges of the rock digging deep into his fingers, helping him remember - this was his now, this pain. He moved his fingers, forcing the wisps of his memory-dream into the sundial, scarlet and black flickering briefly before dissipating. These memories had no place in his heart. These memories only made him weak, squeezing tears out of his eyes. The ache burned him with crimson and he - He was not going to succumb.
He ground his teeth and grabbed his - his! - rattle drum, the jangle of his chains loud enough to scatter the remnants of his confusion. This was his now. This hate. This betrayal. This revenge. He could hold onto them, as he held onto his weapon.
Soon enough, Ao Yin was going to be here with news from the cursed human world. Soon enough, one of his leaves was going to fall on someone who saw, or heard of, or dared to get close to Zhu Yan - no. Not Zhu Yan.
"Zhao Yuanzhou." The name scalded his tongue.