Zhen Zhu smiled as well when he was held in his husband’s arms and reached up to put his own hands over the slightly bigger ones. "It sounds good to have a home."
Zhu Hong slightly tilted his head, trying to peer into his spouse’s face to get a better read on his expression. "Is it weird? To just hatch and then be brought here, get married, and move into the home somebody else prepared?" He hadn’t really thought about it before but now that Zhen Zhu said it like this, he couldn’t help but wonder.
If it was his own life, he couldn’t imagine it going like this. He had never questioned any of the customs they had. But now that he was in the situation, he realized that maybe not everything was that great. The dragons choosing the eggs of the phoenixes they intended to live with … clearly, it was a beautiful concept. To feel a connection, to fulfill destiny, to build a future with the person that was meant for you … But he himself was the living, breathing proof that this would not always work.
He had just taken some egg he found by coincidence. Clearly, Zhen Zhu was not his destined partner. It might very well be that he had taken him from the person that he was actually meant to be with. Maybe that person had already missed him when they went up the mountain and couldn’t find him because his egg had been wedged in the crevice or maybe that person hadn’t gone there yet to search for their destined partner. Actually, they might not even be born yet. He just didn’t know. And now, it was too late to ever find out.
In any case, Zhen Zhu and he were a couple that hadn’t been bound by fate but by a lie. He would never admit to that in front of Zhen Zhu as long as they lived but who knew what the consequences of that would be? He couldn’t even ensure that his lover would be happy with him. If he wasn’t … who could say what the reason for that was? Maybe a couple like them just shouldn’t be. Maybe Zhen Zhu would subconsciously feel that there was something missing and that there was something, somebody else out there for him.
In any case, Zhen Zhu had not had a choice. He had been chosen so he had to go ahead with it. Whether he wanted to or not, whether he felt a connection with him or not. In fact, Zhu Hong wondered about this a bit. Did the phoenixes feel the connection the same way the dragons did? And could Zhen Zhu feel the missing connection right now? He really wanted to know but he couldn’t ask directly or he would give away that he had lied so as to not lose face. Then, if Zhen Zhu actually wasn’t able to feel the connection and believed them to be a destined couple, what would he think? He would probably feel even worse.
Zhu Hong closed his eyes and hugged his spouse a little tighter, wanting to prevent that from happening. This person … no matter whether he was able to fall in love with him or not, he couldn’t let him come to harm. He just couldn’t. He owed that to him. Since he had taken the life from him that he should have had, he needed to provide him with one that was just as good.
While Zhu Hong was worrying about his mistakes from last week, Zhen Zhu was also wondering. "Actually, I don’t think it’s that strange. Maybe it is because I have the memories of my clan but this is how it is supposed to be, isn’t it? Also, from the moment I first saw you, I liked you. So what would be bad about going home with you and leading our life together?" He turned in Zhu Hong’s arms, a bright smile showing on his face.
Zhu Hong looked at him, a little startled. When he found the egg and didn’t feel a connection, he had only thought of how to get out of that situation. He never thought further. When he finally did, he had feared how Zhen Zhu would feel. But now it seemed that he had been worrying too much. This little phoenix … naturally, he couldn’t say for sure but it almost looked as if he felt a connection.
How odd.
Zhu Hong really didn’t know how to proceed. He reached out, and gently cupped Zhen Zhu’s cheeks, leaning down to kiss him on the lips. The little phoenix sunk into his embrace and closed his eyes, quietly requiting the kiss. Clearly, he really didn’t have any apprehensions about being a couple and living together.
Realizing this, Zhu Hong deepened the kiss. He might not be in love with Zhen Zhu but he was happy with how things had turned out. Also, he could not deny that he was somewhat attracted to him. Growing up, it wasn’t like the dragons could never have relationships before choosing their spouse. And they definitely had eyes to see. Seeing Zhen Zhu, he had to say that he was exactly the type he liked. So naturally, he didn’t have any problem acting on those feelings at least.
He gave a faint hum and then picked him up, carrying him through the house into the inner room where he put him down on the bed. Pulling back a little, he smiled. "Well, I’m happy that you’re happy." He really was. This was the best outcome. If Zhen Zhu could like him like other phoenixes liked their spouses, then he would not suffer. That was probably the most he could ask for right now.
Zhen Zhu smiled and reached up, wrapping his arms around Zhu Hong’s neck. "I am. What about you? Are you also happy now that I am here?" His apricot-colored eyes seemed to glitter when he asked about this.
There was a pang of a guilty conscience in Zhu Hong’s heart but he forced it down immediately and smiled faintly as if he was just as happy as his little phoenix. "I gained an especially beautiful spouse, the one I chose that day. I’m definitely very happy with how things turned out. I just hope that there was no oversight on our side as to what you will need. I was in a bit of a rush since there was only one week needed for you to completely mature before you would hatch and come back here."
Speaking of that, Zhu Hong sat up and went to open a cupboard at the side of the room. He took out a small vial and walked back to the bed, sitting down on the edge. "I said I had some ointment for your wound but didn’t move to get it immediately. That was truly my oversight. In any case, you should put it on immediately. It is a special one that is made precisely for this type of situation." He opened the vial and handed it to Zhen Zhu, giving a faint smile. "You can always remind me if I forget about something. Also, if there is something lacking in the house or in any other part of your life that you need, you can always tell me.
"This is our home from now on and we are a family. One day, we will have a child or — if we’re lucky — even two. So don’t treat me like a stranger. I am your husband. I will always be there for you and put you and your needs first in everything. There is no reason to hold back with anything."
Zhen Zhu nodded and poured some of the ointment onto his hand. Pulling the lapel of his robe apart, he reached inside and rubbed it onto the spot where he had pulled out his heart feather. Immediately, the piercing pain subsided. It turned into a dull throbbing at first but finally completely ceased. Zhen Zhu raised his brows in amazement and his eyes widened when he looked up at Zhu Hong. "It doesn’t hurt at all anymore."
Zhu Hong nodded and inched closer again, taking the vial from Zhen Zhu’s hands and putting it down beside the bed. "Didn’t I say it was a special ointment made precisely for this? Actually, the wound will be healed in just a couple of minutes."
Zhen Zhu blinked and tried to take a look but he wasn’t able to without really taking off his robe. Still, just thinking about it, he felt that it was amazing.
Zhu Hong laughed lightly when he saw his expression. "Don’t get used to it. This ointment isn’t made easily so there is only a little produced every couple of decades. We only use it for special occasions such as this or if there is an emergency that doesn’t leave us with another choice."
Zhen Zhu’s eyes widened even further when he heard that. Now that he knew, he felt like he shouldn’t have used it. Using some normal ointment would have been alright as well. "I …"
Zhu Hong reached over and cupped his cheek, stopping him from saying what was on his mind. "Don’t forget what I just said: We are a family now. Seeing you in pain pains me as well. So don’t feel like this was wrong. I will be happier if you are well and don’t hurt."
Zhen Zhu’s expression eased and a faint smile lit up his features. He arched his body and then gave Zhu Hong a kiss.
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