Chapter 78 - 78 - Punishment

A fresh herby scent filled his senses. 'Em, smell of begonia roses and Lusiha herb. Why do I smell them now?' he thought.

'Where am I?' Xia Che thought as he slowly opened his eyes.

A dark rocky ceiling came into view.

'Hmm, am I still in that cave? Did I sleep for too long?' he thought and yawned. A small sigh was heard below him. He was currently lying on top of his little snake.

Long sighed in his sleep and hugged him closer. "Xia am.... don't go," he mumbled in his sleep.

Xia poked his straight nose. "Where am I going? Little snake, what are you dreaming about, ah?" he whispered.

Long mumbled and rolled over, holding him closer in his embrace.

"How cute?" the crayfish mumbled, pinching his cheeks.

"Emm," swatted his hands away.

He continued admiring the little snake's sleeping form. His cheeks smashed on one side. Lips slightly parted and a small drip of saliva dripping from it.

"Aww, my baby is adorable," he squealed. "Sigh, I wish I could just smother you with kisses,"

"Why don't you do so?" Long whispered in a hoarse voice.

Startled, Xia gazed at him with his mouth wide open. "You were awake?"

"No, just now, someone wanted to smother me with kisses," he groaned. "I woke up, so that certain someone will keep his end of his promise,"

Xia chuckled and nuzzled his face. "I never promised anything," he whispered.

"I distinctly remember you saying 'I wish'," he mumbled and hugged him tight.

"It's a wish dummy, not a promise," Xia whispered.

"A wish it is then, I will help you fulfil it, here," he said. With his neck outstretched, he waiting for the kisses to come.

Xia Che's face went bright red at his ministrations. 'Ah this little snake is becoming shameless day by day,' he thought.

"Fine, come here," he cupped his face and kissed his wide forehead.

"Here," Long pointed to his nose.

Xia left a small peck on his straight nose. On hind sight he couldn't help but notice the snake's long lashes. 'Ah, his lashes are so long, they even create a small shadow,' he thought.

Side-tracking from his path, he kisses his eyes. "You have beautiful eyes," he whispered.

"Hmm, you have beautiful... Everything," Long whispered.

"He he," Xia kissed his other eyes and whispered, "You were such a cry baby,"

"I was not," the little snake objected.

Xia chuckled. "You were, I remember you crying all the time." He kisses his high cheek bones. "You were so cute even then," he mumbled. He kissed his stubbly chin. "You don't have facial hair?"

Long blushed hard. "I... it doesn't grow. I tried growing a beard, but I only grew stubbles,"

"He he, so cute," Xia mumbled.

"It's not cute," the little snake whispered.

Xia kissed his thin lips. The little snake pulled him down and smooched him again. "Now that my wish is fulfilled, can we get up? I think it's getting very late," Xia mumbled.

The little snake grumbled and rolled around. "No~"

Xia popped up and dragged his hands.

Long grumbled and got up finally. He stumbled behind him out of the cave.

The sun had almost gone down, and the sky had a pink hue to it.

Xia stretched his stiff muscles. "We should start the swim. Felia would be waiting for us." There were no footsteps behind him. He gazed back to find the little snake with his head down.

"Can we travel alone?" he whispered.

"Hmm, why? You do not like Felia?" Xia whispered.

The little snake nodded his head without any word.

Xia sighed and walked up to him. He held his chin and made him face him. "Why? I don't think she is bad."

"I just hate her. I don't want her close to you," Long mumbled.

Xia cupped his face and kissed his lips. "She is the only one who knows where Yukiya was last seen, that is the only reason I agreed to travel with her," he whispered.

The little snake's eyes brightened. "Really, you don't like her in that way?" he whispered in hope.

"I think of her only as my friend. Were you jealous all along," he chuckled.

Long nuzzled in his neck. "Don't laugh. I thought you loved her and I... I thought you would leave me."

"Silly baby. I said I Love You, why would I love anyone else," Xia caressed his long hair.

Long pulled back and sniffled. "But... but I forced you into this relationship so I thought that..... That you still liked girls," he said.

"Eh, I don't care about gender, if I like a person, I like them, that's all," he whispered and kissed him again.

Long cheerfully laughed and hugged him. 'He loves me only. Oh, I'm so happy,' he grinned like a fool at this thought.

Xia chuckled and bit his neck. "Now that we have cleared our misunderstandings, it's time for your punishment," he said.

"What punishment!!"