Having spent the day doing guard duty outside the observation tower, YiYang proceeds to have a rendezvous with Li Kun, the youngest genetic researcher TengFei had seen in the past two hundred years. 

"Prince!" The young man bows and earns a slap on the head for his troubles. "Ouch!" He winces, rubbing the point of contact, and gives the latter a stink eye.

"What? Don't give me that look, Li Kun." The prince scans the room. "So, how was the meeting? Spill, now." He demands with an air of superiority.
"Don't pretend to be interested in official matters, Ah-Yang. My sister isn't here, and I am tired. Scram." The young man says dismissively, plopping down on the couch.

"You wound me, Ah-Kun. To think that you are my best friend." The prince sighs dramatically and shakes his head. "By the way, where did she go?"

"Do you really expect an answer to that? Anyway, you are brilliant at tracking signals and have free reign over the journal department; there is no one you can't track, is there?" The man shrugs, closing his eyes.

He opens them when deft fingers rake through his thick mane of wavy jet black hair, drawing an involuntary moan from him. Li Kun enjoys YiYang's ministrations and feels the fatigue of the day ebb away. "Enough of that. Any more, and I might embarrass myself." The man jokes,  lowering his eyes to his crotch. A knowing smile settles over his sharp, dignified features. "Which law do you want me to break for you now?"

A throaty laugh revibrates through the room. YiYang takes his usual spot next to the armchair next to the couch. "Ah-Kun! How could you insinuate something so scandalous!? I am the crown prince!"

"Sometimes, I really doubt if you are even Yuanjian, leave alone our crown prince." The researcher smirks. "Cut to the chase, will you? I am drained, my prince. Out with it."

"Actually, it's nothing. I was just wondering, what would happen if a human were to breathe our air." The crown prince asks, sounding casual.
Kun fixes his friend with a calculating gaze, "Tell me the truth, Ah-Yang, when you fell, did a human beauty catch your eye?"

"What if it did?" YiYang wiggles his brow. "Let's keep it from your sister, shall we?" He leans towards his friend, "Will you help me bring her over, Ah-Kun?"

The young man leaves a relieved sigh, "You almost had me there." He shakes his head. Then something else occurs to him. He shifts to the edge of the couch, "Does it concern the words of The First?"

*****

"What makes me special? We haven't known each other long enough for you to know what I am like. Then why-" Zhang's fingers close over YiHuang's. "-am I special?"

YiHuang pulls his hand away. "It's late. Rest. We can talk tomorrow." He states, his face unreadable, like a man trying to hide secrets that are either too embarrassing or too hurtful to reveal.

Zhang doesn't push. "You don't have to answer that if you don't want to. Thank you for taking care of me, for whatever reason. And sorry for putting you in an awkward situation." Zhang lies down, but his eyes stay glued to the Yuanjian, who is looking at the cave's exit with a crestfallen look in his eyes. "I am better tonight. I don't want to keep you from..."

"I will stay... I mean, if you don't mind, I would like to stay, may I?" The prince asks; it sounds like a plea. Zhang doesn't have the heart to refuse him; he doesn't want to either. He closes his eyes and requests, "Stay, please."

*****

Beads of sweat dot YiYang's temples, "Are you sure?" He demands, trying to keep his voice steady and impassive.

"Absolutely," Li Kun replies, taking a sip of Yunix (a drink served at gatherings, both formal and informal). The fragrant liquid, if consumed in large quantities, had an intoxicating effect. Thus, consuming it over 16 imp-cups was prohibited. Presently, however, Li Kun had already downed 18 imp-cups, thanks to his manipulative friend.

"Will you look at the time!?" The researcher sways and almost topples off the couch when he attempts to stand up. YiYang is by his side before the man hits the floor. "Let me help you to bed." He offers, draping the intoxicated man's arm over his shoulder and walking him towards his room.

"Ah-Yang, you are being awfully generous today." The usually sharp man giggles and pouts a second later, "Where is Xiang!?" He narrows his eyes at the latter accusingly, "Are you hiding Ah-Xiang?"

"I promise you that I am not," YiYang reassures sincerely, tucking his best friend into bed. He strokes the man's forehead, making him hum and turn away.

"You better not have Ah-Xiang hidden in your chamber. I will not allow it. Ah-Xiang, don't fall for Ah-Yang. Ah-Xiang, you need to..." Li Kun continues to mutter as YiYang leaves his side.

In light of what Li Kun had told him, the prince contemplates visiting the eastern grove but decides against it to avoid rousing suspicion. 'It will be a while before Zhang can step out. I will visit them after the dignitaries have left and the excitement in the capital has died down.'

*****

Just like the previous morning, Zhang is the first one to awaken. Unlike the morning before, however, he feels like himself. Careful not to wake the man next to him, Zhang leaves the bed. He explores the cave- every inch of it- before stopping at the humming atmosphere regulator. 'How is YiHuang able to breathe this air?' Though Zhang had asked and received answers to many questions, he was far from done. 'I hope he is as forthcoming today as he was yesterday.' He thinks wistfully and returns to the slumbering man's side.

"Ah-Huang." The human calls, tapping the prince's shoulder, and not a moment later, the latter's eyes flutter open and come to rest on Zhang. A ghost of a smile plays on YiHuang's lips. "You are here." He sighs, "This is my favorite part." He mutters, wrapping his fingers over Zhang's, "it feels real like you are really here." He holds out his hand. Zhang takes it, despite not knowing what to expect. The Yuanjian's eyes were open, but it looked like he was still dreaming.

YiHuang sighs and gestures to him to close the distance. The human obliges, thinking that YiHuang perhaps had something to tell him. However, Zhang's guess is proven wrong when YiHuang tugs at his hand and brings their lips together.

It takes a second for Zhang to realize what is happening, but he doesn't pull away. Obviously, the prince is dreaming, the human concludes, but neither his body nor heart listens to his mind. Mind, which is warning him to stop and push the latter away.

Zhang revels in YiHuang's touch; the feeling of this lips sliding over the latter's makes his heart race. He feels YiHuang smile into the kiss. An instant later, the prince's hand falls to his side, and he whispers, "Stay. Just stay, please."

Disappointed and confused at the sudden absence of touch, Zhang wonders, 'Was he dreaming? Hallucinating, perhaps? This air might not be ideal for him; he hasn't left my side for almost two days except to bring me meals.' His eyes come to rest where the prince's hand is on top of his. 'Sometimes you seem more familiar than some people who I knew for years back on Earth. Why?' He mutters under his breath. Trying to calm his heart, he brings his fingers to his lips and wonders what it was that the prince was dreaming about. Watching the slumbering prince, he wonders hopefully if his savior felt the same way.

"Zhang?" YiHuang's now familiar voice pulls him out of his reprieve. He catches the prince's eyes and smiles.
"How long have you been up for?" YiHuang inquiries. A hint of embarrassment taints his emotionless tone.

"Not long." Zhang shrugs. "I am feeling much better today. Thank you for treating me so well."
"Don't mention it."

"Mustn't I? I would have long been dead if you had not found me and risked your life to pull me out of the fire. I am eternally indebted to you."

"You are not. I told you that I did it for me. If you truly feel like you owe me, then please don't bring it up anymore." The prince demands, standing up. "It's almost noon. You must be hungry." He hands Zhang the mask and the medical kit they had prepared the night before. "Let me go check if it's safe for you to step outside." With that, he exits the cave.

The air, as YiHuang step out, is clear and pure: just like the rest of TengFei.
He scans the pond and pulls a metal case out of his robes. Opening it reveals what looks like hundreds of minuscule silver specks of dust which levitate, hover, and a moment later, scatter in all four directions. While he waits for the surveillance bots to do their job, he walks over to the pond and fills his water pouch. He breathes in the fresh morning air just in time for the bots to return to him.

As soon as the last speck takes its place, a hologram pops up over the metal case, and a female robotic voice informs, "No intelligent life form detected. 40.5 hours since the last time the barrier was breached."
Satisfied with the report, YiHuang returns to the cave, where he finds Zhang wearing his mask. Closing the gap, the prince touches its base, "It must feel uncomfortable." He wonders aloud, to which Zhang shakes his head.

"Quite the opposite, actually. It feels like it was made for me." Comes the reply.

YiHuang can feel more than he can see the smile behind the mask. His heart flutters as Zhang's smiling countenance dances across his mind's eyes. He shakes his head to clear his mind and instructs, "Activate the device as soon as you step outside. Remember, breathe slowly and..."

"I will stay close to the cave to facilitate a hasty retreat. Anything else, My Lord?" Zhang teases.

YiHuang rolls his eyes, "No, that covers it." He holds out his hand for Zhang to take. "It would put me at ease if..."

Zhang grabs the offered hand, "I thought you would not offer." He says fondly. "To be honest, I am scared of my lungs collapsing again. But I know I can't stay in here forever, even if I am-" he pauses and shrugs, "-special, you will have to leave eventually."

YiHuang's grip on the human's hand tightens at the words. 'I will not abandon you, as long as you allow me to stay by your side.'

"I will bring you back at the first sign of trouble. You are my responsibility." YiHuang reasserts, and a moment later, unexpectedly finds himself in Zhang's embrace.

{Author's Note:- Word count 1845

Please ⭐ Vote ⭐ to show your support for this update if you have enjoyed it.}