章 56: No One Else Holds My Heart

Ying Yue saw the spoon handed to him and he looked up to see those silver eyes not looking at him, but the moon behind him. He didn't take the spoon nor did he say anything more. His heart was hurting and he felt frozen with thoughts that all of this was a lie, that he made all of this up and Wang Li only loved him as friends not lovers and-

"Finish the soup, Ying Yue," the raven-haired man said clearly and softly, "Unless you want me to feed you?"

Swallowing the lump of rejection down his throat, the blonde nodded only to hear laughter from those thin lips. Ying Yue savored this moment because who knew if he were to ever have a moment like this again. He knew that man, the date, the lover would take most of the king's time, so he was willing to be selfish… just a bit longer. Smiling at the man clad in red, he drank and ate his fill of soup until there was nothing left.

A thumb swiped the excess juice that slipped from Ying Yue's lips and ran over the plump mounds. Feeling cheeky, the blonde licked the pad of the thumb and grinned when Wang Li's movement stuttered. He watched the man in red looked at him, following the way his tongue licked his lips. Grabbing the king's hand, he held it within his own. He smiled running his fingers over the soft skin of his lover's hand. He felt a tug on his hold and looked up to find moonlit eyes watching him warmly.

"Ah Yue," Wang Li breathed out, "Come."

A tug on the hold brought him to his knee. Moving around the soup bowl, he sat beside the king and stared at him.

"Why do you think they call me king, Ah Yue?"

"Because you are the ruler of all the sectors," Ying Yue answered, "That is why they come to speak with you, right?"

Wang Li gave him a soft smile and ran his fingers down the side of his face, caressing his face as if he was a treasured glass.

"You think too highly of me," his lover shook his head softly before looking back to the moon.

"I have known since I was young what my purpose was, Ah Yue. I was five when Heavens mark showed on my forehead, just like yours."

"But… I thought it was on your chest?"

"It was strange… Everyone saw it appeared and disappeared the very next day. I thought maybe everyone was wrong, maybe I wasn't the chosen one."

The wind flew by and Ying Yue scooted closer to the raven-haired beauty. His lover wrapped his arm around him to pull him against his side.

"You don't wish to be the chosen?"

"I wish to live my life freely, Ah Yue, don't you?"

He saw silver eyes investigated his golden ones, searching for the truth. The blonde frowned as he thought about an answer. Letting out a sigh, he looked straight at his best friend and spoke from his heart.

"I do. I want to do as I wish and love who I want, but… but to be chosen from the Heavens is an honor, Ah Li. We must do what is asked of us."

Wang Li stared at him for a moment, the aura of darkness surrounded them. Ying Yue didn't know why he felt it or why the man was emitting such sadness, but he pressed himself closer to his best friend. Silver eyes closed as the corner of those eyes tightened with stress. Ying Yue truly believed what he said and Wang Li knew the blonde was honest with his feelings. He felt the blonde's body held him tighter and he mentally thanked his friend for anchoring him.

Ying Yue knew nothing of what was needed of him and a selfish part of Wang Li wanted to keep it that way, so Ying Yue would continue to stay with him. The first time he met Ying Yue, he told his aunt. She was suspicious but happy for him. When he told her his best friend had a master and was training for something, the female was no longer smiling. When he told his guardian that Ying Yue was also Heaven's chosen, his aunt's face became ashen.

Pulling his hand out of the soft caress of the blonde's fingers, Wang Li looked at the moon and sighed.

"You should not return here anymore and we should no longer meet, Ying Yue."

"What?!" The blonde shouted and he turned his silver eyes to see watery golden eyes, large with anger.

"No."

"No?"

"No, I will not stop seeing you just because… just because you are with that man and you two are… together… we could still be friends and we could still meet. I know maybe we can't meet a lot because you will be with him more, but… but… please don't leave me."

Ying Yue felt his heart panicked with the thought of no longer spending time with his best friend. He was willing to not be lovers with the man in red, but to not be friends ever again… to forget about everything they had shared… to never have it again. He couldn't… he didn't want to think of any lifetime where that ever happened. They were connected, he believed this wholeheartedly.

"Ying Yue-" Wang Li tried softly, but he wouldn't… he couldn't!

"I love you Wang Li! I will only leave you alone if you don't love me back, but I know you love me too," he finished shouting and had crawled onto the king's lap during his daze. Breath coming in and out in stutters, he blinked quickly to not miss the man before him, afraid that he would just disappear from him.

"If you wish to cry, Ah Yue, then do so," the raven-haired male held his wrists as his hands shook against the man's cheeks.

"No," he shook his blonde locks steadying himself, "I won't."

His nose was twitching and his eyes watered, but he refused to let tears drop down his eyes. He cried too much, and he didn't want Wang Li to think he was a crybaby like his brothers. He was a man, a cultivator, a chosen of the Heavens. He told himself to remember the long dark lashes bordering the moonlit eyes, silvered with a slight red hue that he could see from how close he was to his lover.

"Breathe, Ah Yue."

The calmness of the king's honeyed voice softened his heart and Ying Yue's shoulders dropped. He honestly did not want to listen to Wang Li. He wanted to stay upset until the man told him what he wanted to know and why there was so much he still did not know about his best friend, but the man clad in red always had a way of making him feel safe and calm.

"I thank the Heavens for bringing you to me," Wang Li breathed out a smile against his wrist, placing a kiss on his pulse points. He watched as his hands were pulled down to place on the strong beating heart of the raven-haired beauty. He let out a smile, still not fully relaxed because his friend did not answer him still. Yet, just feeling the beating of his lover's strong heart against him was calming him.

"I cannot tell you I do not love you, Ying Yue. That would be a lie," He felt the slow warmth all over his body when his golden eyes saw the smile on those thin lips and heard the admittance of love.

"Good," Ying Yue mumbled smiling to himself.

"I am not dating anyone, Ah Yue. No one else holds my heart but you," Wang Li watched him with a smile, "Was it not obvious?"

"But... I saw…" He could feel his ears burning across his cheeks, "I saw you with that man and…"

"We are not lover."

"You and the man? The one with red eyes?" Ying Yue asked for clarification and saw the king nodded slightly amused, "Are there… anyone else besides-"

He stopped his words feeling the coolness of his lover's forehead against his. Closing his eyes, he leaned closer with a smile.

"I only love you this way," Wang Li said deeply and it touched his very soul, brightening it like the shimmering stars. His entire body felt as if it was glowing like the brightest star in the sky. He could not help how his heart was moved with just simple words from his best friend.

'I love you so much, Ah Li.'

"In what way?" He bit his lips, but soon sighed when he felt his lover kissed him, slotting their lips perfectly in place. Kissing Wang Li was like tasting something addicting and he would choose to drown inside on the taste. Ying Yue hummed feeling the fingers thread through his hair and scraped lightly down his-