The Stone King's Lover (石王的愛)

Chapter 14

A/N: content warning for accidental voyeurism

Wen Reian

2004 years after The Long Night

Xi Qiáng Forest

<Wúmeng outskirts>

"Are you sure you're okay? You look a little flushed..."

"I'm fine!" Reian gave Xie De the cold shoulder, leaving him to tie up Winnie on his own.

They'd stopped a few hours before sundown, between Sanlín City and Wúmeng. It would still be quite a ways to their destination so Master Hao said it would be good to rest here for the night. The problem for Reian, was that he wasn't sure what exactly to do about the fact that he'd been poisoned.

Of course it wasn't a real love potion! The boy wasn't stupid. Still, no doubt there were all sorts of toxic chemicals or herbs in it, because something was affecting him... he could feel the heat on his face and neck, the rapid beats of his heart that had only grown faster as time went on. He didn't want to complain to Master Hao, or Xie De. How humiliating! He figured if he could just rest, cool down a little or meditate, maybe he could handle it himself...

The forest always felt familiar and safe to Wen Reian. He had grown up in the forest around Jingshén, so all these trees just made him long for home.

Brushing his fingertips across the thick bark and overhanging leaves, Wen Rei felt the auras of the trees surrounding him, comforting him. Like that, his heart settled just a bit.

Heh, maybe I'm out of the woods... proverbially of course-

Alas the beating thing in his chest froze in terror the next second, as Reian saw what was ahead of him.

Several feet away, underneath a large tree partially obscured from view, was none other than Xie Yi-jun. Reian hadn't even noticed the man leave when they'd arrived...

Carefully crouching down to hide behind a shrub, Wen Rei felt as if his eyes were suddenly glued upon the man. Yi-jun sat, back pressed firmly against the tree with his eyes closed as if in meditation, but his posture and expression were very odd.

Reian wanted to hurry away, yet there was something about Yi-jun that made him stay very still and keep watching despite himself...

Wen Reian still felt nothing as far as auras go within the man, but as Xie Yi-jun's hands on his knees gradually turned to fists and he swallowed, his adam's apple bobbing slowly, Reian could have sworn he felt a rush of warmth overtake him, similar to that of someone's strong aura.

What is he doing?

The boy stayed very still, eyes flickering over the man as he continued breathing deeply, in and out. Innocent curiosity slowly turned into something more sinister, for as Reian watched the King, who appeared to be in the middle of pleasuring himself, Reian felt his own body responding.

This must be an effect of the potion I drank... it must be! Normally, I would never do such a thing-

Pretty soon he didn't care. All Reian knew was that whatever Xie Yi-jun was feeling, he wanted to feel it too. A hidden, secret part of him longed to be in the young King's shoes, in his place. It longed to know what he felt.

Blinking in shock and shame, Reian tried to tear his gaze away. What he was doing should never be done! It was obscene-

But if Xie Yi-jun didn't want someone to see, why is he doing this out here in the open?