This Wasn't Real

Ying Yue was currently swinging the sword the Ghost King had seemed to gift him. The blade was thin and long with every swoop and reach. He was getting better and better at holding the heavy blade with every practice. He found that every time he meditated, his core seemed to brighten more and more like a blooming bud. Letting out a happy sigh as he swung the sword one last time, he looked up at the blue sky.

It had been a total of four days since he had seen Wang Li and he was slowly getting used to it. The palace was quiet, even that beast named Snow did not show. He ate with the girls and Shen, practiced his swordsmanship, meditated, and read with no interruptions. No unearthly being that was too beautiful to look at him. No silver eyes burning through his skin and etching against his heart. No familiar touches that made his heart race and mind jumbled. That was good. He was good.

He was just fine.

"Welcome back my king," came from the palace entrance and he felt his green eyes widened.

'He's back!' He found his heart exploding with happiness as his face brightened.

Dropping the sword, he quickly ran over to where the mysterious man had returned. Light blonde hair flowed behind him as his feet picked up the pace. His heart was racing so quickly that he felt like he couldn't breathe, but that was a lie. Stopping and staring at the man, he found his breath stolen.

This was what it felt like to lose your breath.

He watched as Yun walked away with the outer robe of the Ghost King's, red this time. He had never seen him don a red tunic before, only a soft blue. Silver eyes slid over to capture not only his green eyes, but also his trembling heart. Then, his legs moved on their own, rushing to get closer- yearning to touch.

'I missed you,' he heard in his mind as the vision of the man in blue merged to red.

'I thought of you always,' he heard the man in red say against his ear.

His arms wrapped tighter around the Ghost King, as his eyes pricked with tears. Pressing his face against the curve of milky colored neck, he closed his eyes as those emotions rammed into him.

"Wang Li," he whispered with worry, as if this was nothing but those lifelike dreams.

"I am here," the man pulled his head back, wiping his cheeks from the tears.

Ying Yue watched the man in blue pulled out a red handkerchief from his sleeve and dabbed at his cheeks. He took in the softening of silver eyes, the look of forlornness, the look of hope.

'Why must the Ghost King look like that?' He wondered blinking the rest of the tears down, 'And why… why was it only me he looked like that toward?'

A small smile curved on those thin lips and it only made Ying Yue feel sicken.

'Maybe he thinks… because I was forced to be here… maybe it's because he still loves his first wife and… he had to care for me… maybe he is missing her,' thoughts swarmed through his mind and he quickly pulled out of the man's touch, 'I… I am not a rebound. I can no longer do this.'

He missed the hurt crossing the Ghost King's face when he backed away from his hold. The blonde was too busy searching his sleeves and overlooked the pain the man in blue suppressed against his heart. The green-eyed male missed the way those familiar hands fisted, squeezing the red handkerchief in his fingers.

"Here!" Ying Yue pulled the small folded paper from his sleeve and thrusted it to the king.

Eyes closed not wanting to see what the man would do, the blonde waited for his death sentence. A few seconds passed and he found himself frowning. Did it take the Ghost King that long to read his writing? Prying an eye open, both flew open in confusion when he saw the furrowed brows of the raven-haired male.

"I cannot read this," the beautiful man finally said aiming his startling silver eyes at him.

"Wa… what do you mean?" Ying Yue frowned reaching for the note, "Do you… do you not know how to read?" He questioned curiously blinking at the man.

"Your writing is horrendous."

"…"

"…"

"W… Wang Li!" He huffed out sticking his bottom lip out, "My writing isn't horrendous. That is mean," he looked over to were Hein and Yun were, "They could read it, watch!"

"Ah Hien, Ah Yun," he waved to, "Can you read this?"

Ying Yue rushed over to the two ladies with scarves wrapped around their necks. He turned the note over so they both could see the ink writing. Both glanced at their king walking over with a sly smirk, and they looked at one another.

"There are some difficulties," Yun mentioned looking at surprised green eyes.

"Really?" Ying Yue frowned looking at his writing once more.

'Do they write differently here… like their own language?' The blonde wondered starting to doubt himself.

"Our king has excellent writing, he could help you convey what it is you wish to say," Hien offered and looked over at her king.

"Or you could tell me," Wang Li stated watching those plump lips opened and closed a few times.

"I…" the blonde started and found himself hesitating, "I… what I want to say is that I-"

'… am a guy… say it. Say because I am a guy, I should not be your wife. Say to let you go,' he told himself, but all that escaped was-

"-don't like sleeping alone."

"…"

'Oh my… what is wrong with me?!' He inwardly screamed as his ears were burning up down to his chest.

"Hah," Ying Yue covered his mouth with a sleeve, laughing nervously, "What I mean is," he cleared his throat, "Would you please teach this pitiful one in writing proficiently?"

He sent the most innocent look he could muster at the male with black hair, hoping it covered up his slip. Those silver eyes seemed to narrow a bit and he found himself nervously sweating.

"Oh, but you just returned. You must be hungry and tired," he quickly said worried written on his tone, "It doesn't have to be today. I think I could manage on my own or I can ask someone else. You are busy, I know-"

"I will bathe first, then I will meet you in the study," Wang Li stated turning and paused to look over his shoulder at the blonde, before walking off.

Ying Yue let out a deep relieved sigh.

'That was too close,' he tapped his heart before his brows pinched, 'Too close to what?'

His eyes widened and he patted both of his cheeks, upset with himself for even thinking of those feelings. He was not attracted to the Ghost King. He was not attracted to that man. He was not attracted to Wang Li.

'This wasn't real. This wasn't real. This wasn't-'

"Madam," Yun spoke up staring at him with her cold purple eyes, "Your cheeks will bruise if you continue."

Startling himself, he pulled his hands away and let out an awkward smile.

'How embarrassing…' he let out a sigh, 'I need to stop acting this way.'