Du Fen awoke with his cheeks burning hot and blinked blearily. His whole body felt languid and slightly sore, but the fever persisted and dotted his forehead with sweat from the aching need that insisted on flooding his veins.

His lips were swollen from kissing, his hips ached from exercise, and his body felt sticky from the sweat that poured from his skin from the intense hormones which did not seem intent on quitting. It was worse than the last time, and at the same time much better.

This time he had an attentive partner that would stroke his body and massage his tired muscles, inside and out, until he wanted to cry from passionate relief. It was embarrassing how eager his body was to respond to the tender caresses of his new husband.

"Ah Fen... are you awake?" The gruff and sexy voice teased his ears and shot a spike of feeling to his toes with his unbridled response to it. He moaned and turned to bury his face into a pillow instead of replying. His heartbeat quickened as firm hands stroked his sides and he undulated between them.

"Ju... when will it stop..." He panted as his voice broke from its abuse. He felt a cool cloth stroke his forehead tenderly and moaned at the delicious feeling. "I feel... so... gross."

"Ah Fen, let me bathe you then." The seductive voice begged the boy. Du Fen reluctantly nodded his head, desperate to clean himself and unable to do it by himself. He felt the warmth on the bed shift, and almost protested when the weight left his side. "I'll be right back."

Du Fen laid there, squirming a little in discomfort. He felt restless and got up from the bed, stumbling to shaky legs and fumbling about the room in a daze. He held the walls and wandered into the hallway, looking for the direction his husband had gone.

The halls were completely deserted. Not a sign of a servant or guard was to be seen. Du Fen blinked in confusion as he fumbled to wrap himself in a thin robe and tiptoed out of the bedroom. He pushed his tangled hair out of the way and picked his way to the end of the hall in search of the bathing chambers.

At a large set of doors, he spotted a figure dressed in red in the next room through the crack. He peered through, only to find the pacing figure of his mother-in-law. He furrowed his brow and backed away, unwilling to have her see him like this. What was she even doing here!?

"Lord Du Fen? Is that you?" The voice grated on his ears like grinding metal and he shuddered in distaste. He gathered his strength and straightened a little bit.

"You... what are you doing here?" He gasped out. "You shouldn't be here."

"Du Fen, dear, I only came to help you out child." Her snakelike eyes and coaxing words were not reassuring. She held out a tray and he looked at the prepared herbal concoction with a dull sense of longing and distress.

The words of his mother echoed in his ears though. He was not allowed ah! As much as he wanted to end his torment, he had to be strong for the emperor and not fall into this woman's schemes. With a push, he sent the tray to the floor with a crash and glared at the woman.

"Leave! I'll not disgrace my husband for you..." He felt his knees buckle and held the wall. She glared at him and walked forward.

"You think he loves you? You are just a warm hole to shove himself inside. When I find him a proper woman then you will be forgotten, you stupid ger." She hissed, grasping his robe and shoving him to the ground. She stared down at him in disgust.

"Pity. I really thought you had given up." The dark words floated over from the shadows and the Empress Mother looked over in surprise. With a snap of fingers, shadows came forward and took hold of the woman whose eyes widened in fear. "Take her away."

"But... Jian Jun! I am your mother..." She protested and pulled as they tried to lead her away.

"My father could not punish your scheming for love, but that does not mean I cannot. You may be my mother, but Ah Fen is my love. I will have more years and more affection from his arms than I could ever have from yours." The Emperor's shrewd gaze narrowed on her as he moved to scoop his husband from the floor carefully.

"Jian Jun! Mother was wrong... Please let me off ah?" She bargained as they dragged her out the door. "Jian Jun!"

"You were already warned." Was all he said before turning his back and gently carrying his lover to the bath. He nuzzled the side of his face and Du Fen closed his eyes.

"You... is it really alright? She is your mother..." Du Fen asked tiredly, clutching his robes.

"Hush, my dearest. That woman has hated ger the moment my brother's mother entered the house. She never forgave her husband for accepting him, never let the second wife off for getting pregnant with Lord Ling Min and has transferred her hate to you. I will not risk anything happening to you too." He tenderly stroked the boy's face as they settled into the warm water.

"Then... she..." Du Fen gulped at the thought of what might have happened.

"She poisoned my brother's mother while he carried the third child of the Emperor out of jealousy. Nobody could prove it was her, but she was too pleased with herself for it to have been anyone else." His dark gaze looked into the distant past for a brief moment before focusing on the beauty in his arms.

"That's awful." Du Fen breathed. He could not imagine having to stand by while it happened, or worse yet, the second prince had to even call the woman mother!

"Hmm, it's alright Ah Fen. I will protect you well. You have nothing to fear now if I can help it." He coaxed the boy from the foul mood, cheered by what he had witnessed by chance. The boy really refused the herbs before, whether it was to honour his husband and emperor or because he wanted him... he didn't really care. Both were good reasons.

"Ju Ju... I'm tired." Du Fen relaxed in his arms and closed his eyes as the warm water washed away the sticky feeling that made him uncomfortable. Large hands brushed over his skin to wash away the salty coating, and after a few passes he shifted with a blush on his face.

A snaking hand moved down his back and sneaky fingers caresses his cleft with gentle swipes. Du Fen's breathing picked up, his blood pounding as his body responded to the suggestion of intimacy. He gulped as questing fingers dipped into the crease and spread him open to the water.

"Ju Ju... I said I'm tired." Du Fen whined pitifully with wet lashes fanned across his flushed cheeks. His head tucked into the crook of Jian Jun's neck adorably, and his naked body pressed against his new husband in unconscious sensuality.

"Just rest against me, Ah Fen. I will take care of everything." His wickedly innocent sounding words soothed the boy who lay boneless in his arms. Du Fen moaned when fingers dipped inside his cavern and allowed the waters to flow and clean him out.

It was impossible though for the new husband to deny the temptation that presented himself. In a few minutes, the shadows would have to determinedly ignore the two as the sounds of squelching and pitiful echoing cries filled the bathing chambers.

*

Du Father and Du Mother were sitting for a nice breakfast a few days after the wedding. The husband looked calm and ate with appetite. The wife was a little worried, and ate with little appetite.

After all her baby boy was newly married and she had not seen if he was alright yet. She would settle down once the two emerged from seclusion and she could see that her precious son was fine.

Suddenly the door banged open and Du Fen came running into the room. His face was flushed and his clothing was mussed as though he put it on in a hurried fashion. He stormed into the hall and fell into his mother's arms with a huff.

"Mother, you must hide me. Just for an hour or so." He begged. She looked with wide eyes as he tugged on her sleeve. She felt his forehead and he was still feverish.

"Silly boy, what are you doing running about the palace?" Du Father said with a scowl.

"Lords above boy, you are still in the peak of your heat. Have a bit of cold water." She poured a cup and he drank it down greedily. A commotion sounded outside and another disheveled figure came storming in the door.

"Please excuse me, Du Father and Mother. I seemed to have misplaced my bride." The Emperor said with an out of breath voice. He went up to Du Fen and lifted him to his feet. His mouth descended to the boy's lips, smothering a whimper.

Du Father and Mother looked away with embarrassment and waved the servants from the room. Du Fen pulled away with a jerk and scurried behind his mother with frantic eyes. He pointed at his husband with a shaky hand.

"This is your fault! Go away! I can take care of myself!" He insisted as his husband stalked him about the table.

"You told me not to listen to you. I will follow your instruction from when you had your wits, my love. Now come here." The Emperor replied as he chased the boy down.

The boy whimpered and ran for it, but this time his husband was on his heels and caught him. He threw the boy over his shoulder with a cry from the lad, and turned to assure his in-laws.

"My apologies Du Father, Du Mother. Please enjoy your breakfast." He bowed slightly to them before hauling his wifey out the door. Du Father and Mother looked at each other incredulously as they heard their son shouting.

"Beast! I'm too young to be a mother! Let me sleep dammit!"

*

Prince Ling Min on the other hand, was patiently waiting outside the residence of one General Yu Zhi. When the servant finally allowed him to come in, his new husband-to-be sat glaring at him as he took a seat in the garden.

"Don't look at me like that. You agreed and I will not let you take your words back." He pointed at him with a stern look.

"You, Your Highness, are a terrible drunk. You should try to refrain from drinking so much in the future." General Yu said with a noble air. The servant brought him a tea set and he poured a cup for them both.

"Yes, yes. What ever you say husband. I will go soon to speak with your parents and get their blessings." He nodded and bowed to the General, who just gritted his teeth and tried to hold his temper.

"I haven't asked you for your hand yet. Don't get too ahead of yourself." He warned the prince with a gruff voice.

"EH? No, no you said... we can do that stuff when we are properly married. That means you are going to marry me. I remember, you promised me. You can't fool me. I won't wait forever either." He huffed and tossed his tea back like it was alcohol.

"Fine, next year we will look for an auspicious day." General Yu said, his eyebrows scrunched. Prince Ling Min shook his head.

"No, three months. I already looked for one and the soonest is in three months. We can get married then." He overruled with a firm shake of his head.

"Three months!? Are you crazy? I have to get my parents used to the idea of me being married to a man you know?" General Yu lost his composure and yelled at the prince.

"Get used to...? What is not to like about being married into the Imperial Family? Trust me, they will love me. I will bring great honour to the family, I swear." He held out his arms beseechingly, his face was pleading with the General.

"What great honour!? I am marrying a man! A MAN!" He shouted back. His face was red and his hands were trembling. Prince Ling Min thought he looked absolutely adorable though. He had to hold back from cooing and trying to cuddle the big man.

"It's fine. You are marrying a prince. The Emperor's own brother in fact. I will call you husband, and you can call me the wife. Okay? I won't let anyone speak badly about you, I promise." He told the furious General with a gentle tone.

His eyes held a trace of sadness to them that wasn't lost on the General though, and he felt instantly defeated. He gulped back all of his protests, swallowed down his feelings of inadequacy and took a sip of tea. He just breathed for a minute, and felt the prince take hold of his hand.

"You... you really like me this much?" Yu Zhi asked in a quieter voice, not looking up at the man who held his hand. He shook his head at the persistent prince.

"Ah Zhi... I don't just like you. I love you. I would give up any chance at being heir if it meant I could spend my life with you." Prince Ling Min told him in a low voice in return. Yu Zhi looked up then, and saw the look in his eyes as he stared at him.

It was filled with gentleness. No longer was this the brash and loud prince. Before him sat a man, humbling himself to be his wife if he should say yes. It stilled any objections of his seriousness, it quelled the uneasy feeling in his heart that this was just another of his pranks.

Maybe none of his words had been joking before. Perhaps this prince just didn't know how to seriously convey his feelings. General Yu, commander of countless armies and the hero of many skirmishes... blushed at the thought of all the times this prince had suggested he liked him.

"Well... you can't flirt with others." He blustered.

"Yes, yes. I will only flirt with you." Prince Ling Min replied with a small smile.

"And... you have to be the wife." He ignored the man, his blush deepening.

"Yes, yes. I said I would be the wife." Prince Ling Min nodded his head and agreed easily.

"Uh... and we will live in my house. I don't like a lot of change." He was grasping at things to argue now.

"Yes, yes. I will come live with you." The Prince was grinning widely now, and moved to sit closer.

"And... why are are you all of a sudden agreeing with everything I say? It's creepy!" He blustered, noticing that the prince was closing in on where he was seated.

"What creepy? I am agreeing with my husband. Isn't that what a good wife should do?" He crept closer to the man, who was looking a little alarmed.

"You... what are you up to? It's the middle of the day." He moved away a bit, but the prince grabbed his sleeve.

"So what? You are my husband-to-be. Come here." He yanked on the man's sleeve and took his lips in a kiss, climbing half on the man's lap to pin him in place. General Yu made the mistake of gasping, and the prince thrust his tongue inside the warm cavern.

He moaned into the kiss, licking the other's tongue and drawing it inside his own mouth in encouragement. He wrapped his arms around the General's neck and feasted on the delicious man, pressing against his whole body.

"What... what are you doing?" General Yu gasped when he was able to pull away. "You said I was the husband!" The prince grinned and pecked his lips.

"Yes, yes. Then hurry up and kiss me first, or I will press you down and make you the wife." He threatened with a growl. General Yu's eyes widened and he flipped them over, pinning the naughty prince beneath him. The man just moaned and looked up at him with sultry eyes.

"You...! I said not until we are married!"

2783