Chapter 42 - Do You Trust Me

"Been a long time," Ying Yue smiled lightly, "Since I've seen snow."

He returned the smile, but he winced and covered his left eye. He heard footsteps nearing him and he found his face softening. His wife had concern in his eyes as he reached for him, to comfort him like all those times in the past.

His brothers stopped his wife, pulled him back from touching him.

'Ah Yue, we truly are connected.' Closing his eyes, he turned and walked toward the center of the courtyard.

"Ah Li," the blonde called out, "I…" hesitation, "… You, are you alright?"

"No," he whispered, "We should've had more time."

"We still can, Ah Li."

"No," Wang Li looked up at the snow, landing on his face, "You know now. You remember."

"Not everything, not enough for me to leave again. I won't leave you again," Ying Yue closed his eyes as tears built up.

"You were never a good liar," the Ghost King said softly, "You know enough."

He looked up to the sky as snowflakes fell against his hair. He closed his silver eyes as his mind returned to a time when both Ying Yue and him were happy. He took a deep breath and slumped his shoulders, as Shen and Yun came to him.

The blonde felt his heart breaking. He just remembered some things, not everything. He remembered those dreams he had were his. His dream man was Wang Li. He remembered Sheng Shui was him, to his dismay. He remembered parts of their marriage. He remembered the arguments with his lover. He remembered leaving. It was all spotty, but the thing he remembered the most…

Was pain.

"Come," Zhang Xu Ling pulled him toward the entrance of the palace as his tears fell.

"Ah Shen," Zhang Han Mo looked over at the white-haired male, but the sharp purple eyes were burning with anger at him.

"Ying Yue!" The redhead shouted as the blonde ran over to wrap his arms around his husband's waist.

"Ah Li," he cried, "This whole time, this whole time you waited for me… saved my things," he tightened his hold, "I don't want to leave you again."

Wang Li turned around to face him and held his face in his hands. Warm silver eyes softened, wiping his tears away. The king leaned forward wanting to kiss his lips but pushed him quickly away, grunting as the piercing pain was felt on his left eye. He stepped back a few steps, pressing against the bleeding mark. The look on the blonde was heartbreaking, but he offered a smile.

"You should go, Ying Yue," he stated, hand still over his left eye.

"Is that… what you want?" The blonde shook his head with his doe golden eyes, "I left you before. I know… I know we can make it work. I just have to-"

"You idiot! You have already tried before. Don't you dare try to be selfish again!" Xu Ling shouted grabbing his arm harshly.

He cannot believe his youngest brother. Still the same stupid selfish brat. Looking over at the Ghost King, he narrowed his golden eyes at the man. Did he not understand that this would only make things worse again? Did the raven-haired male find pleasure in harming his brother? Scowling at the man he had just fought, he called out to him.

"Why are you not saying anything? You know what will happen, what will happen in the end. Tell him."

Silver eyes narrowed at him before those eyes turned to look at his brother. He watched as the Ghost King's face softened and reached out, calling for his brother. His eyes widened slightly, as he felt the shrug to escape his hold. He watched as Ying Yue ran to his lover, blonde hair flowing behind him. The king wrapped an arm around his brother, but Xu Ling was not stupid. He could see that being close to the blonde was affecting him, yet the Ghost King was as selfish as his idiot brother.

"Ying Yue," Wang Li pulled back from the hold with smile, "Staying with me… it would only-"

"I will leave when you tell me to," the blonde smiled, "When we've exhausted every option. I know I tried to do it on my own before, but I didn't tell you. I just thought… but now that you know too. We can make it work together, right Ah Li?"

Big golden eyes looked at him as if to plead with him, to agree to this one more time. He nodded and the smile on his wife's face was all that he needed.

'Just a little longer,' he gritted his teeth as he kept his smile on, running his fingers to tuck the blonde hair behind cute ears, 'Can you not give me more time with him? This is too soon. He should be with me longer. Ah Yue, my beloved wife…'

"Thank you, Ah Li," he heard the relieved sigh and he swallowed the blood in his mouth back down his throat. It burned and cut deeply into his gut, spreading acid where it touched. He focused on pretty golden eyes, soft round lips, the smile, the laugh, the scent of his wife. He ran his fingers down Ying Yue's soft skin and memorized the flutter of long platinum lashes fanning over doe-like eyes. He memorized the light shiver and raised bumps where his touched glide. He memorized the small tuck of lip being bitten lightly by prefect white teeth.

He memorized the way his wife looked at him so fondly, lovingly, wholly.

'I will do anything for you, Ah Yue. Remember that.'

"Wait, are we really just leaving him here after the Ghost King tried to kill him and us?" Han Mo questioned incredulously shaking his brown hair, "Ying Yue, let's go. Hurry up."

"Brothers," the blonde turned to face them and smiled, "Would you see where I am needed in the villages? I will go when I am needed, I promise. I just… I just want to be with Wang Li. Please understand."

"You are still a fool!" His eldest brother shouted, but his attention soon went to the coughing from behind him.

His golden eyes widened as his lover fell on his knees, hacking out blood. He fell beside him to soothe his husband somehow, but it only led to his lover to cough harder, wheezing with hands flat on the ground. Shen and Yun rushed over and looked on with furrowed brows. He took out the red handkerchief and wiped the blood that kept escaping out of his husband's mouth. Tears falling down his golden eyes, he felt his heart racing with sadness.

"Ah Yue… you know it is you," the brunette said softly.

He closed his eyes and pressed his lips on wet bloody ones. He didn't care if all he tasted was blood. He didn't care if all he tasted was the saltiness of his tears. All he cared about was Wang Li was hurting and he was the cause of it. He couldn't stay. He COULDN'T stay. HE COULDN'T STAY!

Crying, he forced himself to pull away and stepped back with tears on his face. He felt hands on his arms, holding him back in case he was to run again; run back into strong arms and sad eyes. Run into heaving chest and bloodied lips.

He watched as Wang Li caught his breath with his moonlit eyes closed and Ying Yue felt his stomach twisted. His lover, his husband, stood and did not turn to him. Wang Li's profile was strikingly beautiful, dusted with snow. He took a snapshot of the image into his mind to remind him of what he had done, what he had to leave behind, who held his heart.

They knew what the only choice was left. Neither wanted to leave the other and yet, they were forced to do so. Just like before.

"Do you trust me?" The king questioned softly and the blonde nodded without hesitation, as tears ran down golden eyes, "I will be with you soon."

"So you could-" the redhead started, but the raven-haired male interrupted him.

"I promise, we will be together again," Wang Li smiled, "Snow," the big cat bounded to his master, "Go with Ah Yue," he scratched the leopard's head, "Take care of him for me."

Snow went over to the blonde and rubbed against him. Ying Yue didn't feel happier, but he felt better from what his husband said. He could hear his brothers telling him to leave and he hesitated. The last time he left… Snow did not join him and Wang Li… he wasn't angry this time.

'Maybe things would be different this time,' he turned and followed his brothers, but paused at the entrance.

"I will be waiting, Ah Li," he said softly and cried all the way to the cabin in the hills.

Hien and Chu arrived to see Ying Yue leaving the palace with his brothers and Snow. They looked at one another and entered to see their king standing. The white puff of snow was covering his shoulders and head, face flat and cold. They both hurried in and closed the palace doors.

The snow was starting to bleed.