Chapter 170: Don't forget yourself

tw: mild sexual content

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Xi Zirui loses count of how many times he comes. By the end of it, he's fairly certain he was coming dry, just a collection of overworked nerve endings for Han Yu to toy with.

When Han Yu finally collapses on top of him, Xi Zirui brings up his arms around his shoulders and sinks the fingers of one hand into the tiny braids of his hair, still held up in the high pony tail.

It's a far more intimate gesture than their current relationship in this world merits, but Xi Zirui will do what he wants, since Han Yu was perfectly content to toy with him and see how long it took him to break.

Well, Xi Zirui is all wrung out now.

"This King hopes that was a pleasant first time," Han Yu says, body still lax in Xi Zirui's arms.

Xi Zirui lets out a tired chuckle. "That wasn't actually my first time. Times"

Han Yu turns his face into Xi Zirui's neck, pressing a kiss into his fluttering jugular. "I figured, from all the filth you were spouting."

They stay stuck like that for a moment longer, enjoying the lassitude of post coital bliss. 

If life was fairer he would be able to fall asleep right away, comfortably nestled in Han Yu's arms without a care in the world. As it stands he knows he'll have to get up soon, not least of all because there's a river of cum slowly seeping out of him.

Han Yu notices Xi Zirui's eyebrows knitting in annoyance when he shifts positions minutely and some more drips out of him.

Grinning, he slides the fingers of one hand between Xi Zirui's spread thighs and lets his thumb catch on his soft rim, playing at the wetness there.

"This King made a mess of you," he says, almost purring in satisfaction.

Xi Zirui rolls his eyes and pulls him down into a languorous kiss. Han Yu indulges him, kissing him tenderly like the old time lovers they are, instead of the captive and jailer this world has forced them to be. 

It seems to Xi Zirui as if some primal side of Han Yu has been sated by their fucking, as if by laying claim to Xi Zirui's body he was able to claim the whole of Xin for his people as well.

It's almost endearing. Xi Zirui certainly doesn't resent him for trying to kill the original. Stepping into his life in each world has often made Xi Zirui feel the same way.

"Do you often let the men who try to kill you, fuck you?" Han Yu asks, as if sensing the direction of Xi Zirui's thoughts.

Han Yu is a smothering weight on top of him, and as much as he enjoys his lazy, half-hearted toying with his abused hole, Xi Zirui isn't keen on having his legs fall asleep.

He pushes Han Yu backward with a hand on his shoulder, and climbs astride his hips when he falls back on the sheets without any resistance. Han Yu's hands fly immediately up towards his ass as soon as Xi Zirui is settled on top of him.

"To answer your question," Xi Zirui starts, making himself comfortable with a soft sigh. "I find that it usually makes them less inclined to try to kill me again."

Han Yu chuckles, his hands still kneading Xi Zirui's ass, the occasional adventurous fingertip dipping into his soft hole. "I can imagine. There are much better uses for you."

Xi Zirui hums. "I feel the same about you," he grins when Han Yu's self-satisfied smirk disappears. "Why kill you when I can keep you here and make use of you whenever I want?"

He wants Han Yu to get his memories back as soon as possible, not only because there's a lot they need to do, but because he misses seeing the love and adoration in his eyes whenever he looks at him. 

This world's Han Yu looks at him with naked, ravenous hunger, but nothing approaching love -- not yet.

And yet, there's an undeniable pull to the odd dynamic they find themselves mired in. Maybe this is something Xi Zirui needed to get his mind off what they have lost in between the last two worlds. 

Something wild and uncivilized.

He feels more at home in this world where treachery lies in every corner, than he ever did in the previous world with his every move being documented. 

"I'm going back to my people," Han Yu says, after a prolonged moment of quiet. "You can't keep me here."

It's not a threat, but his tone is serious.

Xi Zirui hums.

He knows things are different for Han Yu, that even when he gets his memories back he might feel an odd sense of attachment to his life in this world. That leaves Xi Zirui at a crossroads.

Startlingly, he hears Ni Ni chime. "Host only needs to max the Empress's favor, it should be alright to leave after that. Although...well, Host knows by now that there won't be a happy ending, no matter what."

No. 

Just a happy beginning, and a happy middle. Maybe Xi Zirui should consider himself lucky, that's more than most people get.

He pillows his face on his crossed arms and gives Han Yu a smile. "Let me sort things out here, and I'll go with you."

Han Yu gives him a rakish smirk from below his curling eyelashes. "This King doesn't need your permission, he intends to take you anyway."

He pinches Xi Zirui's ass. "But I'm glad to hear you won't be making things hard for me."

Xi Zirui slides his arm in between them and wraps his fingers around Han Yu's soft cock, before saying, "Just this."

"That you do easily," his eyes flash heatedly, Xi Zirui smirks in satisfaction.

"Just promise me you'll keep this," Xi Zirui says, tracing the details on the leather collar around Han Yu's neck.

Han Yu lifts a hand to his throat and makes a considering noise. "You must be a fox demon that has put me under its thrall, because I'm considering it."

"No, not a fox demon, just a husband who knows you well." Xi Zirui is smiling widely when Han Yu raises an eyebrow at him.

"This again?"

Xi Zirui leans forward to bite his lower lip teasingly. "I'll keep it up until you remember."

---

They can't laze around in bed all day. Xi Zirui calls for a tub and warm water to be delivered to his room after he and Han Yu do their best to make it look somewhat presentable.

After much work, both of them fit inside the bathtub, Han Yu squeezing around the edge and Xi Zirui fitting in between his spread thighs.

Han Yu reaches around Xi Zirui to lather him up with sudsy water, rubbing the skin tenderly. 

Xi Zirui leans back against his chest with a contended sigh. "My King serves me so well."

He gets a nip to the earlobe and a flick of his oversensitive nipple for his teasing.

"This King will teach you proper manners, once we leave here," Han Yu says, wrapping one arm around Xi Zirui's middle and pulling him flush against his chest. "No more being waited on on hand and feet, our people rely only on themselves."

For Xi Zirui, who as far as he remembers has never had servants, that won't be much of a hardship. 

However, to Han Yu he says, "Oh no, however will I survive given my weak constitution?" He flutters his eyelashes up at Han Yu, and while Han Yu must know he's being teased, some part of him must think there's some truth to Xi Zirui's words.

"Well, I suppose they don't teach anything useful in this cursed nation," he concedes, petting Xi Zirui's flat tummy. "It's not your fault that you were brought up be a useless scholar, a pampered vixen."

Xi Zirui hums along to the fantasy Han Yu is making up in his mind. 

"This King can help you, fetch things for you on occasion when your weak constitution doesn't allow you to get them yourself," he says, his tone oddly serious.

Xi Zirui can't help hiding a peal of laughter into Han Yu's neck. "Will my King feed me when my weak arms can't raise the chopsticks to my lips? Will he bathe me when I have the vapours from catching sight of my own beauty? Will he put me to bed when his vigorous lovemaking renders poor old me unconscious?"

Han Yu pinches his side. "Are you mocking this King's goodwill, fox demon?"

Xi Zirui tries to evade his pinching in the small bathtub with little success, mostly it results in a lot of water making it overboard.

"Perhaps."

That gets him a hard tug on his nipple. When Xi Zirui opens his mouth to yelp Han Yu seals it with a kiss, laughter sharp on his tongue.

"If you must know, this King will do all of that, but especially that last one."

Xi Zirui answering laugh dies in his throat when a knock sounds at his door, an eunuch announcing shrilly:

"Minister Su requests an audience with his Imperial Majesty." 

Han Yu drops one last kiss on Xi Zirui's bare shoulder. "It seems it's time we go back to our respective roles."

Xi Zirui nods, peeling himself away from Han Yu's arms with great difficulty.