The storm had trapped our three travellers in the rocky terrain of Silver Mountains. Zhao Yunlan, Shen Wei and Rosie hid inside a former silver ore mine one day ago and have been camping there ever since.
Rosie stayed at the mouth of the cave, impatiently watching the never-ending downpour. Sulking because she couldn't properly spread her wings in the enclosed space.
Deeper into the mine, in an area with a natural chimney-like tunnel in the roof, Zhao Yunlan and Shen Wei sat by a magically sustained campfire, cojured by Shen Wei. He also undid the protection barrier around Star Angelica and was tending to the flower carefully. Captain Zhao took out one of his enchanted talismans, whispered something, holding the yellowish paper in front of his lips and then threw it into the fire. The paper ignited itself with a yellowish green light and a small bird flew out of the flames, heading out into the storm.
"Notifying Capitol that we were delayed?" Shen Wei asked, watching the paper-made bird disappear from their sight.
"Yes, the 1st fleet is full of worrywarts," Zhao Yunlan smiled, "I myself don't think there is a big difference between 1 or 2 weeks but especially Lieutenant Zhu Hong might just tear my head off if I don't let them know."
Shen Wei frowned slightly but said nothing further.
After a while of poking into the campfire with a broken stick, Captain Zhao asked: "So... tell me something more about yourself, Shen Wei-ah. My childhood's story is well know accross the Capitol but you are also a rather famous figure in the Academy, yet, you seem to be keeping your private matters strictly to yourself."
Shen Wei sighed, so it seems, the Captain had tried to run a background check on him before. Raising his eyes to look at Captain Zhao, he was met with a wide grin as the other man most likely guessed his train of thoughts. "...Maybe it is because there is not much to tell..."
Zhao Yunlan kept staring at the young wizzard and as much as Shen Wei tried to avoid his gaze, insinuating, they should change the subject, the unwavering stare of those two dark, yet brightly lit-up onyx eyes had won in the end.
Shen Wei gulped, avoiding the intense gaze once more, focusing on his own two pale and delicate hands. "...Really... I... joined the Academy very young, I don't even remember my parrents or anyone before that but because of my core's purity, my sensitivity to magic had manifested very early on, apparently... so the Military came to find me so soon. And... at the beginning I had troubles controlling my powers so I wasn't allowed to leave the premises. And none of my family ever came to visit, so..."
Looking up, Shen Wei noticed the barely shown frown on Zhao Yunlan's face, so he decided to end the gloomy topic.
"...anyway, since then I had been studying. Master Aendall had taken me in, kindly and have helped me most generously."
"You have been a perfect student, so of course!" Captain exclaimed, almost as if he himself was proud of Shen Wei. "One thing, however, is a bit... You are a Teaching Assistant and an honours student of the Elemental Magic Class, am I right?"
"Y-yes..." Shen Wei changed his sitting position, slightly caving into himself defensively, bracing for the uncomfortable question that was bound to follow.
"Your thesis..." the Captain continued, "Master Aendall of the Enchantments' Class is your mentor, right? Your thesis isn't on Elemental Magic?"
"No... it isn't..." Shen Wei mumbled.
Finally seeing his discomfort, Zhao Yunlan hurried: "Well, look at you! A genius in all those fields! Not many wizzards are so dexterous as that. If our battlemages were as awesome as that..."
That was a chance for Shen Wei to turn the conversation around. "I heard you never employ battlemages, though."
Captain smirked. "I would employ you, though." Winking, he conjured a charming smile.
Even though, it should have been perceived as a professional compliment, Shen Wei's cheeks and ears turned crimson and his line of sight fled to admire the crackling campfire embers bashfully.
Not that Captain would miss this desired effect of his masterfully chosen words. Shen Wei was one of the clever innocent types with a lot of pride. Easily swept by sweet words but always highly alerted, so any pause in this alertness should be invaded to leave as much impression as possible until the brief moment of advantage passes again.
Shen Wei didn't even know, how come the Captain suddenly sat right by his side. He had thought, he'd been sitting accross from him on the other side of the campfire? Or were their shoulders almost touching the whole time?
He shifted to pull himself away, only resulting in leaning his back against Zhao Yunlan's arm that had been strategically placed right behind his back as if by a coincidence.
The Captain raised his eyebrows, a half-smirk showing on his lips that looked so close and so red in the fire's light. Of course, this wasn't an accident but a sneak-attack of a man with over a decade worth of experiences.
The young wizzard felt puzzled. Pushing the other man would be impolite and countering with words would only result in the cheeky one pointing out that it was himself who instigated the physical touch first. Besides, does he even want to get away...?
With no time to ponder anymore about these things, his waist was suddenly seized by a strong arm of a man used to holding reigns of a huge beast everyday, and his lips were squished together with Captain's, drowning in Shen Wei's surprised yelp.
Shen Wei curled his hands into fists then clutched the hems of Zhao Yunlan's coat, intending to force them appart but the tender and loving gentleness with which the sudden scare had been executed had halted his actions, his whole body that almost immediately melted in those arms working contradictory to the wizzard's principles.
Shamefull! Erotic! Sweet... Unheard of! Brazen! Tasty... Debauched! Bold! More...
Contradictory thoughts bubbled through Shen Wei's mind, overheating all of his nerve synapses until the Captain finally felt his prize melt in his arms and starting to respond to the kiss in an accepting way.
Slowly moving their lips against each other, eyes closed, they embraced in the dark cave, surrounded by sounds of bonfire and distant rain. Zhao Yunlan lied down slowly, with Shen Wei resting on his chest, arms stroking the other man's back gently, not wanting to scare his wizzard needlessly, giving him the upper hand.
Surprisingly, the 'till now innocent wizzard got quickly used to the pleasurable sensations, his youthful curiosity and want for exploring new things winning over his stoicism and everyday strife for discipline. Getting bolder and bolder he lustfully accepted Zhao Yunlan's invitation to explore his mouth clumsily, their tongues dancing together in an arousing rhythm, directed by the more experienced Captain. Shen Wei atop him squirmed every now and then as waves of pleasure let themselves be known against his better judgement and subconscious tries of their supression.
Mid-kiss, the Captain opened his eyes to peek at the flushed wizzard who clutched his eyes tightly, frowning in concentration, his breathing erratic. The long waterfalls of raven black hair framing his beautifully sculpted face.
Suddenly though, there came a loud slap to Captain's left cheek and the wizzard pulled himself away forcefully, managing to accidentally bite the other man's lower lip in the proccess.
"What?! Why, Shen Wei?!" Zhao Yunlan propped himself up into a sitting position, defensively staring at the angry and ruffled wizzard standing above himself.
"Y-you... don't cheat on your lovers!" Shen Wei's still kiss-swollen lips impeded.
"What?! I broke up with all of them!" Zhao Yunlan defended himself, holding onto his cheek that let him know that it hasn't been even a week since he had been slapped at the same place multiple times.
"W-when? Why?"
"Before we went, as you wanted!"
Shen Wei gulped. "Y-you... you didn't tell me..." he tried to excuse himself, voice barely audible.
"From what I remember, you didn't exactly show interest in whether I'd broken up with them..." Zhao Yunlan pouted. Still sitting on the ground, playing the victim.
"Nn-n..." Shen Wei didn't want to admit he was wrong. Afterall, this is only Captain Zhao getting what he deserves for being such a Casa Nova. A slap is an appropriate prize for his actions... But that cheek was getting slightly swollen already and those puppy eyes - even though unsincere - were staring at him...
"I'm sorry..." Shen Wei squatted down to inspect the damage he'd done.
Captain Zhao felt the other's cool hand softly stroke his burning cheek, smiling slightly. "Xiao Wei, you have way more muscle than you let on... That was a very manly slap." He winked.
"Shameless..." Shen Wei mumbled before getting up again and storming off towards the exit to complain to Rosie about her master's debauched behaviour.
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Here we go! Finally, an update! Yay! And finally some progress? Or not? XD