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It took three days of preparations for them to be able to leave.

Xiao Zai visited Xiao Yuan again in the meantime. Their conversation was stilted but cordial. Fan Jiang had fully recovered his full range of motion, and other than an intense headache was recovering well.

He expressed a desire to return to the Second Prince\'s estate and resume his duties, but Xiao Zai told him he could stay with Xiao Yuan and take as long as he needed to rest. Which apparently came as a surprise to both him and Xiao Yuan.

When he was about to leave, Xiao Yuan asked to have a word in private with him.

"I know we\'ve had our differences," Xiao Yuan started, haltingly.

Xiao Zai smiled a little to himself, that was an understatement.

"And your husband is really annoying, just an incredibly smug asshole, unpleasant to the core, although nice to look at." Xiao Yuan shook his head with a grimace as if trying to get a bad taste out of his mouth.

Xiao Zai\'s good humour vanished. He didn\'t appreciate Xiao Yuan badmouthing Chu Yun in front of him. 

Before he could say anything Xiao Yuan interjected with a reluctant sigh. "But I suppose he\'s good for you, that\'s probably not worth much coming from me, but you no longer look like someone pissed in your wine."

Despite himself, Xiao Zai let out an amused huff. "Speaking of wine, you should cut back."

Xiao Yuan met his eyes with a self-conscious nod, and then Xiao Zai was off.

They would probably never be close, but, they could at least be civil.

---

The new year was only a few weeks away, and there were preparations being made all over Haolin. The festive atmosphere was palpable, and it also presented the best opportunity for them to leave. The King would be leaving for a nearby temple in the mountains around Haolin, to pray for prosperity and abundance for the kingdom. 

While the temple wasn\'t far, he would stay for two days to observe rituals.

"He leaves tomorrow and so do we," Chu Yun told Xiao Zai with a smile.

The most auspicious time for the King to make his prayers couldn\'t come at a better time.

That night Xiao Zai tried to settle a restless Chu Yun into bed so that both of them could be well-rested for the journey ahead. But he was filled with energy and refused to comply.

"How are you not tired?" Xiao Zai asked, finally resorting to pinning his wrists to the bed. "Let\'s go to sleep."

"I was just thinking that we should stop by my parent\'s on the way back from the academy," Chu Yun said, struggling weakly in Xiao Zai\'s hold. "It would be nice seeing them again."

Xiao Zai would never deny Chu Yun something like that. "It will give me another chance to make a good impression on them."

Chu Yun grinned. "Hopefully you won\'t run away to Lanzhou\'s most famous brothel again."

It seemed to Xiao Zai like those events had happened ages ago. He wouldn\'t have guessed then, that he would ever end up here, sharing the same bed as Chu Yun. Expecting a child with him.

"What are you thinking about?" Chu Yun asked, a suspicious frown pinching his features. "You got this look all of a sudden--"

Xiao Zai lowered his weight on top of him and nuzzled his neck, feeling his crisp scent. "I was just thinking that I\'m happy to be here now, with you."

Predictably, Chu Yun scoffed and turned his face to the side. Hiding his reaction from Xiao Zai. He was so bold about everything except his own feelings. For some reason Xiao Zai found it irresistible. It made him want to pry his ribcage open and take a look at his beating heart. 

He imagined it would sound the same as his name falling from Chu Yun\'s lips, and that was why he was so determined to keep it a secret.

"Now you have a different look," Chu Yun said, slipping one hand free of Xiao Zai\'s grip to run the thumb over his cheekbone, still peering intently into his eyes. "Like you want to bite and never let go."

"Does that scare you?" Xiao Zai asked.

But he knew the answer even before Chu Yun laughed. 

"You think I\'m afraid of a little puppy like you?" His words were mocking, but his fingers were gentle as they mapped the contours of Xiao Zai\'s face. "You\'ll have to try harder."

Xiao Zai turned his face to the side to suck one of Chu Yun\'s fingers between his lips, starling a delighted gasp out of him. The gasp turned to a hiss when Xiao Zai dug the tip of his canine into slender bone. 

He let it slip from his mouth with a wet pop. "I will, because you like it." 

He kissed Chu Yun before he could come up with something smart to say to him.

But as he hugged him to his chest and the two of them drifted off to sleep, Xiao Zai couldn\'t help thinking that both their souls remembered a time before this one. A time before the trappings of civilisation, and all its rules.

A time when the only thing there was to do was run in the woods and howl at the moon.

Deep in his bones Xiao Zai felt like their animals called to each other. An ancient song they were discovering together.

---

They left at dawn the next day. Everything was covered in a layer of ice, and the sky was blotted by a dense fog. They would be taking a rented carriage, and only Hua Nanyi with them, all the better to travel faster, and leave quickly if necessary.

Xiao Zai had told his dam about their plans the previous day. He got the impression he was very tired, and his parting words: "I hope we can put an end to all of this soon," didn\'t do much to reassure him.

As he climbed up into the carriage next to Chu Yun.. Xiao Zai could only hope that they\'d find something that would help them get the ending they wanted.