Chapter 143 - Don't Leave Me

All the words that Wang Li had said throughout the many years were like a string of information, red flags, that should have told him what was to come. That this would be the end result, but Ying Yue refused to listen, refused to pay attention, because Wang Li… his husband was strong, powerful, and perfect.

And yet…

"I am happy to be with you once more, my love."

Ying Yue cried harder as snow piled around them. Cold hand moved to place the hilt of his weapon back into his hand. He shook his head wishing this was a nightmare, one he would wake up to soon, but his husband's hand wrapped over his.

"I will join you, Ah Li! I will."

"No, my love. You will live for us, for the good of this world."

Ying Yue's knees buckled, no longer able to hold himself up as he clutched to his husband. Memories of Wang Li just staring at his face with solemn eyes, telling him how much he loved him, leaving trailing glances his way. All those times his touches said more than his words, whether it was with a mask or not. So many moons Wang Li would look to the sky as if searching for something, only for Ying Yue to realize after so long… it was him.

Wang Li had always known the ending.

"Was my death planned?"

He whispered and arms held him closer, stroking his hair comfortingly.

"I was supposed to be the one to die, not you," Wang Li lifted his chin and kissed him gently, "We were never supposed to love and yet, you are everything to me."

"Can we just not do this? Can we just run away? We can go anywhere Ah Li," he tried only to have his lover kiss the new tears on his face.

"We cannot run from fate, Ah Yue," he whispered and it pained the blonde deeply, "This world still needs you long after I am gone."

"But I need you!" He cried loudly as hiccups broke his words apart like his heart.

A kiss to his cursed mark and Ying Yue couldn't help taking in his husband, before the man coughed. Head turned away, Ying Yue saw the blood trickling down his lover's lips. Helping Wang Li to sit against the trunk of the plum blossom tree, he kneeled before him. Snow rubbed against him, but all the blonde felt was air. He smiled at the big cat who slowly disappeared into Wang Li.

The sound of the demons screams echoed into the night as they returned home. The howling no longer shook the ground.

The plum blossom fell.

He watched as his king took a breath and lifted his head. He took out the red handkerchief and wiped the blood from his lover's lips, earning him a smile.

"Now that it is complete, you will succeed."

Wang Li whispered and reached out to trail fingers across his cheeks, up the bridge of his nose, across the mark and lips. Palms smoothed down his neck and followed down the shoulders to trembling hands.

"Ah Li…"

"I have done many wrongs, Ah Yue. You know this. I cannot be forgiven for slaughtering them. I refuse."

"It wasn't-"

Hands squeezed tighter on his and Ying Yue shut his eyes. The image of scarves wrapped around his husband's family necks reminded him of what his husband committed. The way they would run their fingers over the wrap unconsciously. Even Snow would rub his paw over the red ribbon around his neck.

"It was. My own family, Ah Yue. If you had stayed, the same result would happen. Even when you left, I still sought you and killed you in the end."

"No. I would-"

"Enough," his lover said softly and sighed with his eyes closed, "I will return to you, my love. Would you save it for me?"

His hands were lifted and Wang Li kissed their rings, but Ying Yue could barely feel it. He moved closer, leaning against his lover and kissed him, reminding him to live. He wanted to speak more on it, argue just to keep his husband with him longer, stay beside him more, but his lover would not let him pull away. Fingers wrapped behind his neck and the thumbnail lightly scratched his skin.

A pull forward brought him back to the present.

His blade pierced into skin and Ying Yue gasped. He broke the kiss and tried to pull his blade back when the raven-haired man pulled to pierce more. His heart was racing and his mind was frantic. He could hear the gasp and felt blood splattered against his robe.

"Wang Li! Stop!"

His husband did and stared at him and tears finally slipped down silver eyes. Finger moved against his cheek.

'Will you give me one last kiss, before I go in peace?'

Ying Yue cried because he understood what he had to do. He cried because it meant to sacrifice his lover. He cried because-

Ying Yue granted his lover's wish. He kissed hard and deep. He kissed dirty and lovingly. He kissed and kissed so Wang Li would remember even after he was gone.

The sword pierced through the newly returned core.

Ying Yue cried harder as he kept kissing and kissing, but all he tasted was blood. He fell against his lover and held tightly against him, not wanting him to leave. Fingers carded through his hair and ran soothingly up and down his back.

"You are free, Ah Yue."

"I don't want to be! Please, stay. Don't leave me."

"I keep making you cry…"

Ying Yue cried harder and held tighter. He started to notice the dust floating into the air and his golden eyes widened. Pulling back, he cupped his lover's face as he noticed Wang Li was fading away.

'No… no! No!'

"Wang Li, Ah Li… husband, don't… I can't… please…"

His mind was screaming and his heart was breaking. Everything in Ying Yue was shaking and ringing, refusing to believe that his husband, the love of his life, was fading away.

A palm cupped his cheek, but he barely felt it. His heart was hurting and this pain was worse than anything he could have felt. He blinked to get rid of the tears so he could look at his lover, hope to the heavens when he blinked, his lover was still there.

Dust sparkled as his lover's arms faded away up to strong neck. Ying Yue panicked as he tried to hold onto his husband. Each time he tried to hold tighter, golden dust fell leaving less and less of Wang Li.

"No amount of time will make me forget who I belong to, Ying Yue."

He watched as his lover faded into dust, shining under the moonlight.

"No! No!"

He tried to hold onto some of what was left of his husband, but that too slipped away toward the moon. He tried to catch it, grab what belonged to him, but he stumbled and fell onto the snow. He cried harder as he curled into himself on the ground. The palace was quiet and he shivered in the cold snow, but he did not want to leave.

The cold was not the thing that numbed him.

Footsteps neared him as the shadow returned home. Things had changed. Nothing will be the same without his husband.

The golden dust flew into the air and danced around the moon before it moved away. The silver of the moon watched the lonely child crying for a lover no longer there and watched as the world quieted from the howls of demons. The palace was in disarray and the colors that once filled this world unsaturated into a dull gray.

The moon lighted the brothers mourning for their loss.

This night was stained in blood. 

==

When Ying Yue woke, he was no longer at the abandoned palace. He got up quickly in a panic, but a hand pushed him down. He angrily pushed it away as he got up stumbling, only to be pulled back onto the bed.

"Stop."

"No, I have to-"

"He is dead. He is gone."

He looked down and cried, as he covered his face. Arms wrapped around him and he leaned in crying harder. Wang Li was gone and now… his world…

"No, no, no. NO!"

He cried out hysteric covering his ears as if the truth was burning his ears. He was pulled into strong arms and he fought against the hold but ended up crumbling into it. He cried until his heart was dried and his muscles loss feelings. He stayed leaned against his eldest brother and stared at nothing. Face showing no emotion like his empty soul.

"Ah Yue, here. Drink this. Calm yourself."

Ying Yue took the tea and drank it. Ginger tea. His heart clenched at the taste and he handed the cup back but noticed his rings. This only lead to his red puffy eyes to scrunch as he cried softly. Pulling his hand to his chest, he curled up into it with his head on his knees.

"I am sorry, Ah Yue. I cannot imagine how you must feel."

"But you do."

"What?"

"Ah Shen."