5. Chapter 5

After that night, Shen Wei is far more...well, Zhao Yunlan would not go so far as to call him affectionate He’s just less formal, less distant. More importantly, he starts babysitting Zhao Yunlan.

Not overtly, of course, but Zhao Yunlan is on to him now. Shen Wei makes the entirely reasonable argument to the Supervisory Department, (aka Zhao Yunlan’s father) that it would better serve to have Zhao Yunlan on campus where most of the research is being done.

Zhao Xinci is righteously suspicious, but that’s not Zhao Yunlan’s problem. What is Zhao Yunlan’s problem is being “picked up” every morning by Shen Wei, who does not even own a car but instead walks him to Dragon City University. He’s so serious about it he reminds Zhao Yunlan of a character in a historical drama, as if he is some ancient warrior sent to escort a fair maiden to the emperor’s palace. He imagines Shen Wei with long, flowing hair and nearly walks into a street lamp.

Maybe Zhao Yunlan should not let his poetic imagination run quite so wild.

But babysitting is a problem, because it gives free rein to Zhao Yunlan’s daydreams of wedded bliss. This could be his every day ! Forever! He can barely stand the anticipation. For all that they have not even held hands (yet!), it’s clear to him that they are meant to be together.

Which is its own set of problems since he is still, by all rights, promised to the Black Cloak Envoy, and Shen Wei is apparently, tragically, very invested in that.

He gets it, though. However long ago the war between Haixing and Dixing was (and that number is always given as “roughly but not exactly and possibly not even close to accurately 10,000 years ago, maybe”), it was a fucking catastrophe as deadly as the meteor strike that proceeded it. The treaty ensures peace between nations, as it were, and the cornerstone of that is the metaphorical marriage of their peoples — in the form of Prince Black Cloak Envoy of Dixing and his consort, the Lord Guardian of Haixing. The lives of millions of people rest on it.

Just calling it off, as appealing a prospect as that is to Zhao Yunlan of late, is simply too dangerous. They are already in uncharted waters with the Black Cloak Envoy’s rejection of him and subsequent disappearance.

Zhao Yunlan is so gone on Shen Wei, though, that he’s got to work hard to give a damn.

Although it might honestly be out of his hands at this point, if the Envoy fails to ever show up again. The treaty will be nullified and, who knows, a new dark age of war and mutually-assured-destruction will descend on them all because Zhao Yunlan wasn’t pretty enough or some bullshit like that. He could be the harbinger of the end of civilization and no one might ever know why.

He really hates the Black Cloak Envoy.

But he will make it work with the Envoy if he can, if only so he can also have Shen Wei. Sadly for Zhao Yunlan, but luckily for everyone else alive, the lovely professor is not going to entertain any possibility of being anything more than a research consultant to Zhao Yunlan if the matter of the Envoy and the treaty isn’t resolved to his satisfaction.

At that point, the real battle will begin, at least from Zhao Yunlan’s perspective, because he will have to go head-to-head with Lord Dark and Obnoxious in order to get a marriage allowance so he can wed Shen Wei.

Marriage in general is a gray area of the treaty, one that most Lord Guardians of the past have not tested. While the treaty does not forbid the serving Lord Guardian from marrying a fellow Haixingren of any gender, it does not specifically allow for it either. Instead of risking the displeasure of the famously intolerant and short-tempered Black Cloak Envoy, most Guardians often chose to “live in sin” during their tenure and have kids out of (Haixing) wedlock that they adopt later. (Zhao Yunlan himself is, in fact, the legally adopted child of his father, the paperwork pushed through quickly after his mother was murdered. Sometimes he wonders why his father bothered.)

Zhao Yunlan plans to test that gray area, for Shen Wei. The more time he spends with the quiet, self-assured professor the more convinced he becomes that he will take any risk for his beloved. The Great Black Cloak Bastard can shove it up his ass if he doesn’t like it, since he doesn’t even want anything to do with Zhao Yunlan anyway.

One thing at a time.

Shen Wei has, meanwhile, started escorting Zhao Yunlan home and also begun cooking him dinner.

The first time, it was posed by the mild-manner professor as a way to continue whatever discussion they had been having on the walk. It was not a particularly important discussion, but Zhao Yunlan was not going to call Shen Wei out on the transparency of his offer. Also, he is a great cook, so.

Zhao Yunlan is definitely a selfish man when it comes to Shen Wei’s everything.

Shen Wei didn’t even ask the second time, and from then on, it was standard operating procedure. Zhao Yunlan loves the food, loves the company, loves Shen Wei. If they could keep doing this forever? He would die happy.

Alas.

“I understand!” He waves his chopsticks around. “The treaty is important for Dixing, too! I’m just saying, here, that maybe it’s not overall the best thing?”

“Peace between Haixing and Dixing is not the best thing?” Shen Wei gives him a very flat yet disapproving look over his bowl of soup. They are sitting side by side at the kitchen island, turned a little so that they face each other.

“It is! Of course! But let’s just say, for argument’s sake, that instead of a treaty keeping our people apart, we had one that let us co-exist?”

Shen Wei stares at him as he slowly lowers the bowl to the table, almost as if he is afraid to drop it. “What?”

“Hear me out!” Zhao Yunlan holds up his hands. “We have no idea what life in Dixing is like, we don’t get reports or anything like that. But people keep risking their lives and the wrath of the Black Cloak Bastard to get up here. The few my father left alive long enough to be interrogated before being whisked away by the Envoy talked a lot about poverty and darkness and lack of resources. Lack of food , Shen Wei! What if it really is a living hell down there? How is that peace for them?”

Shen Wei opens his mouth and then closes it.

“We’re Haixingren so we don’t see it. But I think maybe the treaty is not as fair and impartial as it has been made out to be. You yourself are always talking about how Dixingren are never given the benefit of the doubt, how our collective fear of Dixing is unfounded and, perhaps, unfair.”

After a moment, Shen Wei collects himself. “I’m sure the Black Cloak Envoy would inform the Lord Guardian if the treaty is as unfair as you make it out to be.”

“Maybe he has?” Zhao Yunlan shrugs but Shen Wei looks stunned. “Look, if most Lord Guardians were like my father? It wouldn’t matter what they heard or saw. They wouldn’t care. They sure as hell wouldn’t, you know, pass along the information.”

Shen Wei is studying the table top intently, as if a great truth has been revealed to him. “I suppose you are correct.”

Zhao Yunlan is thrilled that Shen Wei isn’t arguing back and claiming that Dixingren are animals who need to be contained, which is the usual go-to line he gets in these discussions. “Hey, I hate the Black Cloak Envoy as much as the next Haixingren, okay? Scary bastard, sure. Rule of law and all that.”

Shen Wei shifts uncomfortably as he always does when Zhao Yunlan talks disrespectfully about the Envoy.

He steels himself for his next point, which is one he almost never brings up with anyone. Friendships have ended over this idea, but he has to know what Shen Wei will do, what he will think of Zhao Yunlan for saying this. “There is nothing in the treaty that prevents it from being renegotiated,” he says softly, watching Shen Wei closely.

Shen Wei’s head snaps up. “You intend to renegotiate the treaty?” His eyes are wide but he is not throwing furniture over and walking out.

“No, I’m not intending anything. Yet. I’m just saying it’s possible. Maybe even necessary?” He reaches out and grabs Shen Wei’s hand. “Imagine a real peace, Shen Wei. Imagine a Dixing that is, I don’t know, fertile and prosperous, so that Dixingren don’t feel the need to escape it! Imagine if Haixingren could gain access to Dixingren with helpful powers, like healing! Dixing dark energy isn’t inherently bad, is what I am saying here, and you’ve said as much yourself! Haixing can help them reform their country with an influx of food and supplies, and Dixing can gift us miracles of science! How can the treaty, or the Hallows, not allow that? Why shouldn’t we work toward that?”

Shen Wei looks like he’s been hit with a poleaxe.

“Shen Wei?”

Hands slap on his face and drag him forward and before he can breathe he’s being kissed senseless.

At last, Zhao Yunlan thinks, and greedily grabs Shen Wei’s waist to haul him out off of his stool and between Zhao Yunlan’s spread thighs. He’s ready for this, beyond ready, and simply wraps his legs around Shen Wei, folds himself into the shape of Shen Wei’s body.

Which is hard and heavy in a way that is surprising, given that Shen Wei is technically smaller than he is. He’s also cool to the touch, but Zhao Yunlan is an expert in warming people up, and he’s never wanted to apply his skill set so hard to anyone in his whole life. Losing his virginity was less exciting than this.

Shen Wei still has his face captured in strong, unyielding hands. His mouth is hot and merciless in a way Zhao Yunlan did not expect, his tongue thrusting into him like they are already fucking.

But eventually he needs to breathe so he twists his head to the side and takes in great gulps of air. “Shen Wei!” He says, smiling. “I need to breathe! You stole all my air.”

Cool hands run down his neck, over his shoulders, through is hair. “Ah-Lan,” Shen Wei whispers into his ear and they are kissing again, bodies shifting and tugging and settling against each other.

Zhao Yunlan realizes that this is the first time his heretical thoughts about the treaty have paid off so well, and he laughs.

“What?” Shen Wei asks, his eyes warm. He kisses Zhao Yunlan’s nose and it’s so cute that Zhao Yunlan wants to die of happiness. Forever.

“Who knew talking about the treaty would get you so worked up? I should have done this sooner!” He pulls Shen Wei close, tightening his legs. They both gasp a little as their erections press together through their clothes. “Oh, yeah, like that.” He rolls his hips.

Shen Wei actually, legitimately laughs and Zhao Yunlan’s life is complete.

“Never leave me,” slips out of his mouth and he lunges forward, trying to kiss Shen Wei.

But instead, Shen Wei frowns, and that is all kinds of wrong. “Stop, Ah-Lan. We should stop.”

“No! Never! Xaio Wei, stay with me. Stay. Here. Tonight, tomorrow, forever!” Zhao Yunlan tightens his hold.

“You have...you have obligations.” Shen Wei is trying to twist out of his arms and Zhao Yunlan is not having that.

“The damned Executioner of Dixing? Fuck him. I mean, no, I’ll never fuck him, even if he asks. Shen Wei! Stop! Listen to me! I don’t care about him, okay? I’ll do what I have to do if it comes to that but I’ll only do it to get the treaty renegotiated!”

Shen Wei pauses, and Zhao Yunlan gears up to strike. “Imagine if we could be together, no questions asked! Imagine a world without the Black Cloak Bastard! Imagine if we just didn’t need him! He could just crawl away and marry someone who actually wants him, for a change!”

Shen Wei flinches and forcibly pulls himself out of his clutch. “Perhaps.”

Zhao Yunlan sighs, his hands falling to his sides and his feet to the ground. “I know you hate when I talk so disrespectfully about my fucking future husband but he’s the last thing on this planet I want to marry!”

Something about that makes Shen Wei back off completely.

Zhao Yunlan stomach drops. He’s not sure what just happened, but he can tell it’s not good. He feels alone already and reaches out again to pull Shen Wei back into his arms, but Shen Wei steps backwards.

“We shouldn’t have—” he starts.

“Don’t say that. Don’t you say that, Xaio Wei. We have a right!” He steps forward, trying to get close, but Shen Wei ducks and heads for the door, grabbing his jacket and pulling it on.

“I can’t stay, Ah-Lan.” He looks up at Zhao Yunlan and the expression is heartbreaking. Zhao Yunlan is heartbroken.

“Don’t call me that. Don’t you dare. If you can’t stay here with me don’t you dare call me that!”

“I want to, but—”

“Then stay, damn it!”

“You’re the Lord Guardian, you are promised to the Black Cloak Envoy! Until that is resolved—”

“I don’t care! Shen Wei, please—”

“I care, Zhao Yunlan. I care, and I believe you care too. You are too good of a man not to care.”

Zhao Yunlan feels gutted, not by a knife but by the simple, elegant statement of faith. Shen Wei believes in him this much, believes in the genuine goodness of the disreputable and promiscuous man in front of him enough to say no to him.

“What if we can’t fix this?”

Shen Wei actually startles at that. “What?”

“He turned me down, Shen Wei. He turned me down, and we don’t know why, or why he hasn’t come back to renegotiate. We don’t know what’s going on, but we know for a fact that the black hearted bastard doesn’t want me.”

“Please don’t say that. Not to me.” Shen Wei turns his back to him.

“I know why you are working hard to make it happen. I understand. I know your priorities are the treaty and peace for Haixing. I know that! But maybe I’m not such a good man, Xiao Wei, because right now I just want you.”

“You barely know me.” Shen Wei says, his words little more than a whisper.

“I love you.”

Shen Wei pales. “You don’t know me.”

“ I want to! I want to know all of you! Damn it!” Zhao Yunlan holds out his hand. He feels like they are turning a corner, here, and he cannot keep the desperation out of his voice. “Xiao Wei, please. Stay?”

Shen Wei shakes his head. He takes another step backwards, spins, and quietly, firmly, leaves Zhao Yunlan behind.

That’s two for two, Zhao Yunlan thinks, before drinking himself into oblivion.