17 I Will Join You

"Husband?" Ying Yue whispered as his face hovered over the beautiful man.

"Hm?" Silver eyes slit open to stare into the blonde's eyes.

"Do you ever wonder how this even happened?" He questioned letting his light hair slipped over his shoulders.

"No," he felt hands trailed down his sides, "You were always mine."

"Eh?" The blonde sounded before a yelp escaped his lips when he felt a pinch against his bare bottom, "Wang Li!"

"My beautiful wife," the raven haired male whispered against his neck before tickling his sides.

"Wha… wai… wait!" He screeched out trying to wriggle away, "Ah! Wang Li!"

He laughed banging his fists against strong bare chest. The man, his husband, flipped him over and captured his lips.

"Wang Li," he breathed out and opened his green eyes to find himself in bed… alone… again.

He closed his eyes hoping sleep would take him once more; the place where the Ghost King stayed, smiled, laugh, and held him. Rolling his eyes at what a hopeless romantic he was, he sat up rubbing his eyes. Pulling the sheet off him, he noticed the clothing were for men. Smiling, he dressed himself and was finishing up the last clip when the door slid opened.

Green eyes met silver ones and Ying Yue found his lips stretching into a wide smile.

"Good morning!" He greeted happily bouncing in place.

'Should I kiss him or hug him or touch him… maybe I should just wait to see,' he told himself folding his hands behind him.

"Did you sleep well?" Wang Li stepped in and reached for him.

"Yes, did you?" The blonde stepped into the touch and moved to stand on his tiptoes.

"Yes," the beautiful man replied kissing his lips, leaving it buzzing when they parted, "Ying Yue, I will need to leave."

"For… how long?" A frown graced the blonde's lips before his green eyes sparkled, "Why don't I come with you? I can keep you company and help."

Ying Yue was hopeful that their newfound relationship would mean the Ghost King would give in to some of his offers. All he wanted to do was cuddle with the man and he knew maybe that was a bit clingy, but there was a yearning in his heart for Wang Li. With the acceptance that he was a man and the raven haired male did not even bat an eye to that, made his heart burst into beautiful colors.

"I won't be long," a small smile was on the ethereal face as his fingers slid down his cheek to his chest, "You've been meditating," furrowed brows pinched in the middle.

"Yeah," Ying Yue smiled, "I think it's helping. I can feel a bit more of my core."

"That's good," the Ghost King whispered softly with his lips straightened.

"When I get stronger, I will join you then," the blonde stated and green eyes saw a tightness at the corner of silver eyes.

A press of lips against his forehead and a small smile were all that Wang Li left him. It was enough… but…

'No, no,' he shook his head, 'He said he loves you. There was no reason for you to feel guilty,' he paused and let out a laugh, 'All that stress in wanting to leave only ended with me wanting to stay.'

Walking out of the room, he found his sword leaned against the pillar and he smiled.

"Wang Li, did you drop it off before you left?" His heart swelled with the thought, "Are you a romantic like me?"

Letting out a laugh, he grabbed the sword and went to the courtyard to practice. He would need to get stronger. No longer did he want to gain strength to leave, no longer did he fear the Ghost King. No longer did he need to hide. He wanted to get stronger to be with Wang Li. He wanted to be needed and give him some relief. He wanted to be his equal.

'Just you wait Wang Li,' he said determined planting his feet, 'I will join you soon.'

==

The Ghost King walked through the barrier and stared at the portal for a moment, before walking in. Darkness and trapped souls cried out to him, but he ignored them all as he continued walking. Held within this portal were deadly beasts, demons, vengeful ghosts, none of which he would ever let out into the village. As he stepped into the center, he looked at the relic he was creating. Slabs of stones formed and etched.

'Still will take a while,' he told himself as he placed his palm on the artifact.

"My king," the red eyed figure walked freely toward him, "Ah," the man sounded, "Still not ready?"

He didn't reply and the man leaned his body onto his, wrapping long arms around his waist.

"Hm," the man sighed nuzzling his head against his back, "How I miss holding you, Ah Li. Don't you miss this? Don't you miss me?"

Wang Li ignored him as he continued his task, but the red eyed male didn't care. Lately the king would enter the portal to push his power into this stone the raven-haired beauty created with his help, and that made him happy. He was close to him once more, just like so many years ago. Closing his red eyes, he smiled enjoying the warmth of the king's body, the feel of his strong back, and the sound of Wang Li's heartbeat against his palm.

'So many years I have waited,' he breathed out rubbing his cheek against strong back, as he remembered the first day they met.

He was young, so fresh, so innocent. Eyes of silver looked at everything with such empathy and grace, a look that was not meant for a Ghost King. The chosen one to be gifted with powers from Heaven to hold his kind back, to stop them from living on land. How dare they think he wouldn't fight against such nonsense? Did those in Heaven think they could do as they please? Why were their cultivators, their soldiers, able to walk on the surface when ghosts and demons could not? What gave them the right?

So here he was, watching their chosen tool smiling, listening, and playing.

They had made a mistake. They chose the wrong child.

His red eyes glowed in excitement as he watched enough days of the boy, and now it was time to whisper words into those small ears. The first time he whispered in the Ghost King's ear, the boy was asleep. The second time, he was having tea. The third time, the boy called him out.

'Sharp mind,' he thought to himself and frowned, 'Maybe I'm wrong.'

There was no way he was backing down, so the red eyed demon stepped out of the shadows in the child's room. Silver eyes stared into red ones, as both just watched.

"Why have you been hiding?" The Ghost King questioned, brows slightly furrowed.

"Because you will kill me, young one," he stated and the child frowned.

The demon noted their height difference, the Ghost King was only as tall as his waist and was around seven or eight years old. He was already many years older than the boy, and he found himself grinning.

"I will not kill you," the child spoke up, "You have done nothing wrong."

Red eyes widened and blinked in that information. Narrowing them, he rushed to the child and pressed the weak body against the wall. Eyes searching the young face, he saw slight fear rush through those light-colored eyes before determination.

"If you wished to kill me, you would have already," voice strong for a child, "You are lonely."

'What?! What in the world was the boy saying? He, the best demon in the world, was lonely?!'

'Nonsense!' He shouted dropping the boy and stepping back and leaving through the shadows, 'Nonsense!'

"Ye Wu," the Ghost King spoke up, awakening him from his thoughts, "Release me."

"I don't want to," the red eyed demon pouted, tightening his hold, "Can you not stay longer?"

"Let go," his voice turned cold and Ye Wu knew when the man was upset, so he reluctantly let go and stepped back.

Wang Li stepped away from him and headed to the portal. He watched the man in red walk with his black hair bouncing with his steps, and the sway of his robe. He admired the beauty as the young man walked through the portal without looking back, without a second glance at him.

That was okay.

"One day Ah Li," the red eyed demon smiled slyly, "You will be mine again."