Today the wheel has chosen: 83. "I didn't think you had it in you." And to go with this prompt I've picked Ler!Zhuo Yichen and Lee!Zhao Yuanzhou/Zhu Yan from Fangs of Fortune. Set during episode 14, between the sword dance scene and the Chongwu spy scene.
• Around 1.400 words
"Xiao Zhuo-daren, I didn't think you had it in you."
Zhuo Yichen turned at that smooth and annoying voice, his brows furrowing as he watched Zhao Yuanzhou saunter in his direction, promptly sitting by his side on the short stairs before Zhuo Yichen could even think of getting up. A small smile graced Zhao Yuanzhou's face, his eyes twinkling with amusement that never meant anything good for the younger man.
He eyed the White Ape Demon warily. "What?"
"I didn't think you really could sword dance that well." Zhao Yuanzhou leaned to the side to bump their shoulders together. Zhuo Yichen instantly scooted farther from the demon, a grave expression set on his semblance. Zhao Yuanzhou glanced away with a look that would have been called embarrassment were it on anyone else's face but his. "You don't look like someone who'd enjoy that sort of thing."
The demon hunter bristled at the audacity. For someone who bullshitted around thinking he was so charming and charismatic, Zhao Yuanzhou sure wasn't great at not getting into people's nerves. Especially his.
He glared up at Zhao Yuanzhou, his voice just on the edge of freezing. "You don't know me, you don't get to say what I do and don't enjoy."
Zhao Yuanzhou raised both eyebrows like he was deeply surprised by his snark, raising both hands in playful surrender. "All I'm saying is I didn't think you'd want to spend your time on fun things. Our Xiao Zhuo-daren is a very no-nonsense person." He gave the swordsman a once-over, far too leisurely and appreciatively for Zhuo Yichen's liking, who felt a faint dusting of pink rising to his cheeks in what was surely outrage. "With a face that serious one would think you haven't played around a day in your life. If Xiao Jiu and Ying Lei rope you into one of their games will you know how to do anything other than standing there awkwardly?"
Said serious face contorted in annoyance, yet something within him twisted with genuine hurt. The Great Demon couldn't have known of his lonely childhood, of how he spent his early years and adolescence relying only on his family and on a tree that couldn't talk back for having his social needs somewhat fulfilled to the point he could trick himself into thinking he needed nothing more. The comment wasn't meant to wound, of this Zhuo Yichen was aware. Even so, Zhao Yuanzhou, Zhu Yan, of all people, had no right to judge him. "I know games."
The other man nodded very, excruciatingly slowly, as if believing Zhuo Yichen's words took every bit of his conscious effort. When his lips quirked up upon watching Zhuo Yichen's glare strengthen, he gave up on the farce entirely. "You'll have to agree it's hard to believe it when you say it like that."
His hand flew threateningly to the hilt of the Cloud Light Sword, already glowing brightly. "You won't be believing anything when you're speared on my sword!"
Not only did Zhao Yuanzhou not express any apprehension, as was usual, Zhuo Yichen saw the exact moment in which humor built up in Zhao Yuanzhou's eyes and the demon clenched his lips to keep from laughing.
He-!
"You-!" Zhuo Yichen snapped, ears burning as he shoved blindly at the older man, realizing how his words were interpreted. "Perverted monkey!"
A startled sound, sounding more choked up and unintentional than anything he'd ever heard from the demon, drew Zhuo Yichen's attention. With furrowed brows he directed his gaze back to the demon, who stared down at Zhuo Yichen's hand on his ribs, where he had shoved far more lightly than anyone who claimed to loathe Zhao Yuanzhou would. Zhao Yuanzhou stood completely still, it was likely he hadn't even realized the noise had come from him, his mind processing the brief electrifying sensation that had become so foreign to him.
No one had ever- Not since he and Li Lun were children, thousands of years ago.
While his mind caught up, his body, however, seemed to recall perfectly the protocol for this type of situation as Zhuo Yichen repeated the motion. He was up on his feet in an instant, shielding the spot protectively from the other's reach, mouth opening and closing silently in surprise.
Zhuo Yichen felt his own eyebrow raise and something that resembled amusement swelling inside him, that he quickly tried to stifle but was not at all successful. Of all things, this is what it takes to get him speechless?
Well, if it'll shut him up.
Rising to his feet, he reached once again for Zhao Yuanzhou's torso, only for the demon to sidestep him with lightning quick reflexes, still wide eyes fixed on Zhuo Yichen like he wasn't sure whether to look like the younger man had hung the moon or issued upon Zhao Yuanzhou the biggest betrayal of his life. Zhuo Yichen huffed, pushing down the exasperated fondness that threatened to show on his face. Dramatic.
Time and time again he aimed at whatever spot was closest with Zhao Yuanzhou stepping off to the side at each try until they twirled around one like two performing courtesans. "So you can act like a child at your convenience?" Zhao Yuanzhou flashed a pleased smile, his side merely inches away from Zhuo Yichen's grasp. His face muscles visibly strained from fighting a massive grin the longer the more frustrated Zhuo Yichen got with his dodging. "Xiao Zhuo, you've asked me to dance with you earlier and now we're playing together? You flatter me too much."
Why was his face so warm? "Shut up!"
Propelling down in a heap of entangled limbs, as soon as Zhuo Yichen managed a hold of both Zhao Yuanzhou's shoulders the two collapsed to the floor. Zhuo Yichen's suddenly pounding heart didn't distract him from his mission of getting a reaction out of the demon. Too late to back down now. The very moment Zhao Yuanzhou's back collided with the floor and Zhuo Yichen's front pressed against his, the swordsman drilled unforgiving fingers into his ribcage.
The reaction was instantaneous, the vibrating digits drawing out a chortle that was so... natural, so genuine, so unlike the demon's usually theatrical and joking responses to everything not life-threatening that happened around him that Zhuo Yichen found himself wanting to hear more.
Zhao Yuanzhou yelped, buckling and twisting while his sides were targeted with fire rapid squeezes. His hands flew down to grasp at Zhuo Yichen's wrists firmly, yet, strangely enough, not pushing them away, merely holding onto them as if that made the sensation more bearable. When a squirm caused Zhuo Yichen to topple forward with his face indecently close to Zhao Yuanzhou's, the demon finally let a delighted grin take over his cheeks. "So fohohorwahard! Aren't yohou worrihihied peheheople mihight see and get the wrohohong idea?"
There he goes again. Way to shatter the illusion. "The only thing to see here is yours ugly face!"
A flurry of pokes and kneading descending on his stomach shut the demon up for a mere moment with shrill giggles that haven't left his mouth in thousands of years, the strange fuzzy and giddy feeling enveloping his mind making words tumble out the very instant he was granted a reprieve. "Dihihisrespehecting your eldehehers nohow? Have yohou truly turned back into a chihihihild?"
The expression on Zhuo Yichen's face closed off in a stormy look that matched his voice. Yet, curiously, didn't match the effort Zhuo Yichen put into ensuring he didn't dig into the man's stomach with enough force for it to be painful. "Zhao Yuanzhou, start acting your age if you want to be treated like it!"
"I gihihive! Have mehehercy on thihihis old dehemon!" Zhao Yuanzhou snorted, only now starting to push those tormenting hands away with so little strength Zhuo wasn't persuaded in the slightest. Red smoke started gathering around him, curling and twisting wildly in the air and conveniently hiding the red flush on his cheeks. "Alrihihight, I'll go! I'll gohoho!"
In a cloud of dark red smoke, the demon scampered off to god knows where. Probably to whine to Wen Xiao. Let him complain all he wants, he'll be in for a second round if he makes the mistake of informing the woman what exactly had just transpired.
Zhuo Yichen rose back up, patting the dust off his robes and glancing in each direction to ensure no one else had seen him having his composure broken by the demon's taunting. Finding his gaze lingering longer on the path Zhao Yuanzhou had wandered down, fleeing like a small animal with its tail tucked between his legs, Zhuo Yichen felt the corners of his lips curling slightly upwards.
Growing out of control, a Polaroid of an extremely oversized grotesquely muscular and fat heavyweight handsome bodybuilder giant in his 20s, with black hair and beard, very broad shoulders, freaky huge biceps, strong legs, sweating, wearing black shorts, trapped in his huge overblown muscle mass. His head seems out of proportion and smaller than the rest of his overdeveloped body. Cinematic style. Side view of his body.
Moiraine lifted her head and smiled, trying to shake off her melancholy. She picked up her mug of ale and settled back on to the bed, leaning into the curve of her lover’s body. “Would we live here? Have a home in the Fingers of the Dragon?”
“Mmn.” Siuan reached out to run her fingers through fine strands of long brown hair. “I’ll fish and cook for you, we’ll have a garden and raise the juiciest, sweetest fruit you’ve ever tasted.”
“I’d have to learn how to brew my own ale if you insist on drinking this horse piss.”
"Language.” Siuan tugged lightly at the hair wound around her fingers in admonishment. She laughed a little as Moiraine winced, before sitting up to kiss her in apology. “But anything to keep you by my side. Would a life like that make you happy, my love, after all your years in a saddle?”
“When I’m settling down to sleep, stones and branches digging into me through my bed roll and only half of me warm from the fire, that life is what I dream about. A home that we can make together. Being in the same bed every night, with you beside me.” Moiraine's lips curved up in a wry grin. “Hot baths. Our own bathing hut, that no one will judge me for using too long, which will always be scented with oils we like. We can build a fireplace inside, make the heat so intense that it hurts to breathe...”
“Sounds like you dream about that bathing hut more than me.” Siuan noted dryly.
Moiraine pinched the skin on her thigh where the robe fell open, knowing that it was one of her ticklish spots, smiling fondly as Siuan laughed and pushed her away. “Don’t be jealous. I dream about you in the bathing hut too.”
“Well, that’s something at least.” She let Siuan take her mug to set it aside, watching as her lover shrugged off her robe and dropped it on the floor. The other woman got back into bed with her, guiding her down until they shared a pillow. Moiraine swallowed at the look in her eyes, the love obvious in her soft smile as she reached out to trace her brow, her touch gentle and soothing.
“Siuan...” she haltingly began to confess. “The thought of being married to you, having a home together... it’s a dream I almost don’t dare to have. Tarmon Gai'don is coming, and the Wheel weaves as the Wheel wills...”
“I meant what I said earlier, Moiraine. One day, we will have more time, either in this life or the next.” Siuan’s voice took on the timbre it had in the Hall of the Tower, the look on her face was incandescent. “Every turning of the Wheel, I will find you. I promise.”
This was the woman she fell in love with, decades ago. She was a member of House Damodred, one of the royal line in Cairhien, yet it had been so easy for her to follow the daughter of a poor Tairen fisherman. Part of it was being hopelessly spellbound by Siuan’s quick mind and the mischievous smile that got them into trouble with the Mistress of the Novices more times than they could count. But it was also Siuan’s strength and conviction, that had her predicting from the day they met that her friend would eventually become the Amyrlin Seat and the most powerful woman in the world. She let that strength envelop her now, feeling safe in a way that she never allowed herself to feel on the road or in her own quarters, and finally slept.
