015. the teacups

“Oh, sad. I guess it’ll be good news for him that Laike’s not afraid of ghosts. I don’t think Laike’s afraid of anything.” Chongwei elbowed her pale-haired sister. “Have you ever seen Lai scared? I mean, if someone surprises him he will straight up murder them but that’s not really fear so much as it’s […]

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014. a proposition

Tian Miyan was nothing if she was not constantly prepared.  Even as the shop’s attendant sat down three heaping bowls of tsua-bing with all sorts of sweet toppings piled high on top, the princess concentrated on her task which may have seemed like some strange ritual to her mountain-raised guests.  She balanced a pair of […]

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013. be careful with your heart

Just as Xueyu was stepping away from the pair of doctors attending the wounded men to scan the alleyway for any sign of the missing prince and his prized pupil, it seemed he found what he was looking for. The swordmaster’s eyes immediately snapped to the boys suddenly materialized before him, wide and then impossibly […]

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012. into the dark

“You’ve tilted my world in the very best way, Laike.” No matter how contented either boy felt in that moment, how much they wanted to persist as they were until infinity claimed them, time always had other motives. Yuhui watched the way his arms fit around that boy’s neck, watched the shifting beauty of his […]

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011. temper

“Fei—” Xiao stepped back into Fei as Li advanced. He held Boon aloft before him glinting mercury warnings in the light. “Fei—do it back, do it fucking back—!” “Okay okay!!” Fei stammered, focusing hard on his brother.  He closed the space between himself and Quan in his mind, adorned himself in his posture, his predator […]

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010. transfixed

“If everyone else dies too, I would probably be rushing to bring sweets back to the youngest orphans on the mountain, to be there with them so they’re not scared when the sky goes dark.” After a thoughtful moment, the shadowscape boy looked to the river of chaos at his side and smiled, coy and […]

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009. a tiny black pearl

Most of Fanxing City’s vendors were already set up by the time Xueyu turned onto the street at the top of Zhongxin Market with his entourage. It was a convoluted and bustling place, full of old men whose dealings only centered around digging up discounts, merchants hungry for the back and forth of a haggle, […]

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008. remain

The path from the Tian’s estate to Zhongxin market was tightly coiled with street vendor clogged veins. Observant as he was, Laike found the environment overstimulating—too many sounds, too many sights, too many people. Voices overlapped voices until Laike couldn’t concentrate on a single story; the prince had so many memories to convey it seemed […]

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007. between beckoning and bidding

“Please,” Yuhui pressed again, voice depleted in the peak of his petitioning, “This would mean the world to me, Laike.” Laike bowed his head, jaw tight. He didn’t turn into Yuhui’s insistent touch. Instead, he implored him gently: “You should get dressed, my prince.” And so, Yuhui, youngest prince of the Tian clan, middle heir […]

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006. lungsway

With his amber eyes still caught on every dip and curve of Yuhui’s nonsense markings, Laike made a single innocent request:  “Take off your clothes.” “Um… why?” Yu’s eyes were wide even as his fingers indicated he was not opposed to following the order. The boy’s hands moved to fuss with the sash looped around […]

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