Chapter 71 - I Am No Longer Pure

Outside the room, Wang Li was to busy puking out his stomach. He felt sick and disgusted at himself for what he's done. He hurt Ying Yue. He hurt him! Digging his nails into his palms, he ran to his aunt and opened the door, startling the female. He dropped down and clutched his aunt by the knees and pressed his forehead against them.

"What has happened, nephew," the white haired female rubbed his cheeks, "You are in tears."

Silver eyes shut and he tucked his face away from her knowing eyes. He felt fingers run through his hair and he relaxed his tension. The sound of humming lulled his anger temporarily and he let out a sigh.

"My child, you've only run to me like this when something bad has happened. Tell me what it is?"

"I hurt him, auntie. I truly am evil."

"Do you wish for him to leave?"

Wang Li did not reply and turned to look pitifully at his elder, "I hurt him and made him cry. He should go back to his brothers. I'm… I'm not good for him."

"Oh child," she sighed and wiped those tears, "Tell auntie what you did to make him cry."

"I… didn't listen when he told me to stop and I… I bit him… I am a monster auntie. I deserve to die for what I did."

Yun held the king's face in her hands, but all she saw was the little boy who worried too much, who was placed to be something he shouldn't be. Pulling her hands away, she flicked his nose and sighed.

"You love him, do you not?" She asked to see the raven-haired man nod his head, "Then you must do everything to regain his trust and love. If he wishes to leave, then let him. If he wishes to forgive you, then you must work hard."

Wang Li looked away and nodded staring at the ground. She stood up and went to grab some ointments to assist with the healing process for the wound. Yun walked over to her nephew and told him to stand.

He's taller than her, but Yun only saw a child.

"Here," she placed the medicine on his palm, "You are not evil, nephew. You are special and the Heavens made a mistake of choosing you," she cupped his face and stared intently at the boy, "Because they will also bow down to you."

"That is a terrible thought auntie," the young king frowned, "Why would I want the Heavens to bow to me?"

"For putting their responsibilities onto you, sweet child. Remember what I've told you."

"Yes, auntie," Wang Li nodded and bowed to her, "Thank you."

She saw the Ghost King hesitate for a moment, before walking out of her room. Frowning, she crossed her arms and wondered why this was occurring if the other chosen was here. The blonde was to bring good and her nephew brought evil. If that was the case…

Her eyes narrowed deadly as she thinned her lips.

'What are you planning, Jade Emperor? What more do you wish from them?'

Wang Li stood in front of his room with the medicine in hand. Knocking softly on the door, he didn't hear anyone inside. Fear crept in his bones and he wondered if Ying Yue had ran back home away from him.

Swallowing the anxiety, he slid the panel opened and saw the sleeping figure. His heart stuttered and swelled, before it clenched and sunk. He called for a servant to bring him a bowl of warm water and towels.

Closing the door, he placed the items beside the blonde and stared. Such beauty he possessed in his hands and yet… he made his lover bleed and cry and hurt and… and…

He wrung the wet towel and took a deep breath. He carefully wiped his lover's face clean from the tears, wiped the red marks he had left on pale skin, and wiped the dried blood from the mark he made.

As a chosen, they would heal quicker than everyone else, but that does not mean the wounds are easily forgotten. Wang Li was sure Ying Yue would always remember him hurting him. The blonde should… the Ghost King was a monster. He was a monster.

"Wang Li," his silver eyes returned to his lover's face and was captured by golden eyes, "Ah Li… please…"

The king quickly got off the bed and kneed down, bowing with his forehead pressed to the ground.

"I apologize, Ah Yue. I am heartless and, in my mindlessness, I hurt you."

It was quiet as he waited for what the blonde would say or do. The guilt was rotting his insides and peeling out his layers of stability. He heard sniffling and he looked up worriedly at his lover.

"Ah Li," Ying Yue cried softly, "Don't leave me."

His silver eyes widened and he crawled onto the bed to wrap his arms around his lover. He didn't understand why his best friend was crying and begging for him to not leave him. Should it not be the other way around? He was the one who hurt him. It was him so why was he…

"I will never, Ah Yue."

"You did, you left… I was hurting and you left me," Ying Yue cried against him and tightened his hold on his king.

Wang Li stilled in his arms and Ying Yue forced himself not to cry harder. The Ghost King said he wouldn't leave him, that he held his heart, that he loved him, and yet… he left when… after…

"I thought… I couldn't… I hurt you, do you understand, Ah Yue," his lover pulled his head up to look into watery silver eyes, "I should never had done that when you asked me to stop… I should've! I don't want you to cry, I don't want to be the one to make you cry. You should leave me, Ah Yue."

He searched his lover's face and cupped the raven-haired man's cheeks.

"Do you want me to leave?"

"No."

"Then I won't leave."

"But I-"

He kissed his lover on the lips and laid down beside him.

"Was that why you left? Because you bit me too hard?" Ying Yue questioned for clarification and Wang Li held his hand against his face.

"I left because I did not listen. I lost my self-control and hurt you. I deserve no forgiveness, Ah Yue."

"Did I not tell you already, Ah Li? I will always forgive you," he leaned forward and wanted to kiss his lover, but he winced from the slight pain on his neck. The Ghost King gave him an apologetic kiss and sat up to reach for the ointment.

Dabbing it onto his fingers, Wang Li stared at the wound with thinned lips and a dip of his brows. Glaring at it as he rubbed the liquid around the mark, he felt fingers traced the silver plum blossoms on his robe. Letting out a sigh from his nose, he finished his work and placed the ointment back onto the stand.

"I thought you left because… well…" Ying Yue spoke softly and watched his lover's eyes slid to his face.

He let out a short laugh at himself and felt his face reddened in embarrassment. He saw Wang Li lay beside him, not touching any part of him, but watching him with saddened eyes as those silver eyes continued to move to the mark on his neck.

"Ah Li… it will heal. I didn't cry because of the pain… not really…" he reached for his king's hand and placed it against his heart, "…uh… it's just…" he looked away from Wang Li and bit his lips.

"What is it, Ah Yue? Whatever it is, I am sorry."

"It's just… I… I am no longer pure," he whispered quietly and he looked at his lover from under his lashes.

His face was flushed and his heart was pounding loudly in his ears. He saw the creased forehead of his lover before silver eyes widened. They moved down to his pelvis then quickly to search his blushing face. Ying Yue saw the redness brushed across his king's cheeks and ears.

"Do you… still want me? I mean, I am not…" he tightened his hold on Wang Li's hand against his heart.

"Ying Yue… you mean…" the Ghost King breathed out a smile, "I will always want you. Are you… okay? I know you didn't want to and I..."

"I don't know… it happened so fast and…" the blonde paused for a moment and smiled, "You promise you won't leave me?"

"I promise. You will always own my heart, Ah Yue, but I fear I may hurt you again."

Ying Yue also had that fear, but he also knew he could fight the Ghost King if he really wanted to, but he didn't. Maybe it was fear of losing his lover or maybe it was the arousal of how much Wang Li wanted him, he wasn't sure. All he knew was that his king would not had wanted to hurt him on purpose.

'I will save you, Wang Li,' he ran his fingers across the mark under his lover's left eye and smiled, 'I will find a way,' he watched silver eyes closed relaxed.

He hesitantly leaned in and kissed those perfect thin lips.

'I promise.'