Wei Ying kissed Lan Zhan's cheek.

"I only like it when you touch my wings." He went to walk forward, but Lan Zhan was immovable, suddenly.

He turned around to see what was wrong, and found Lan Zhan frowning.

"Who else has touched you?"

*****

Jiang Cheng was feeling angry.

He knew he felt only that because he searched, he really did, for anything else, and came back empty.

Except for the anger.

He knew from first hand experience, that being a sect leader was a tough job. He knew that it was difficult at times, to the point of finding it frustrating.

And he knew that sometimes, one had to show more emotions than one was feeling at the time, because people expected it.

Not from himself, because anyone who visited Lotus Pier, gave him a wide berth. But XiChen should know better by now.

XiChen wasn't single anymore.

XiChen shouldn't be letting anyone touch him just like that.

But XiChen was too kind.

Zidian sizzled on his wrist, and for once, Jiang Cheng didn't mind.

Perhaps he needed to teach his husband a lesson, just to remind him of a few things. Just to be safe.

He smiled to himself, his sharp mind forming a plan.

That evening, XiChen was humming to himself, walking to the Hanshi and wondering where Jiang Cheng was.

To his surprise, the door was locked. And there was a note.

In the shape of a crane.

His heart fluttered with growing excitement. Wanyin was the only one who knew this secret of his, not even his baby brother was aware of his love for the magnificent birds.

He was reminded of the time when he was six years old and found a fledgling. It's mother had been killed by foxes, and it was starved. Baby XiChen didn't know what to do, and went to tell Uncle Qiren what had happened.

Together, they brought it home and kept it in an open box, and looked after it.

XiChen would stroke it's long neck softly and speak to it in gentle voice, hoping that he could give it some comfort and not miss it's mother so much.

In that, they had something in common; both had lost their mothers at a young age.

XiChen loved the sleek feel of it's neck, watching as the soft fluffy down feathers changed into stronger ones built for flight.

And then, one sad day in winter, the crane flew away.

It broke his tiny soft heart; because who could he talk to now? And just then, Baby A-Zhan waddled in, sniffling.

XiChen gathered him into his small arms and was grateful.

That crane was the first thing apart from his brother and mother that he truly loved, with the whole of his heart.

Wanyin knew.

XiChen stroked the neck of the paper crane now, his heart filling up with another kind of love. Wanyin must have spent a lot of time making this. Was it a hidden skill, something he already knew how to do? Or a newly learned one?

XiChen opened it delicately, not wishing to damage it in any way.

Follow the cranes, the note said.

Oh. Wanyin wanted to play.

XiChen smiled, and all the tiredness fled from his body with those three characters.

He could feel the tingling in his body, taking the shape of hundreds of cranes, buzzing through his body all at once.

He turned the corner of the Hanshi, expecting another crane at eye level...but there was none.

Where could it be? There was nothing on the walls, or the wooden decking. And then, he spotted it, perched on the leaf of the potted plant, slightly hidden.

Eagerly, he picked it up and opened it.

Five steps forward and then look to the skies, it read.

His heart started beating faster.

This was fun!

XiChen found another five notes before the last one. This one was pinned to a blindfold.

Put this on and wait for me. No peeking or there will be punishment.

XiChen shivered. He couldn't calm down and it was a lovely feeling.

He folded the last note back into a crane shape and carefully stashed it away in his secret pouch. Then he picked up the blindfold and faithfully covered his eyes.

Nature arms it's children with ways to survive, and XiChen found that his hearing was vastly improved upon covering his eyes, because he heard the footsteps of someone approaching.

Careful, measured steps, not designed to cause panic, but to add to his anticipation.

"Welcome." Warm lips spoke directly into his ear, and he shivered again.

"I am going to ask you a few questions," Wanyin continued, "and you will answer them in yes or no? Do you understand?"

XiChen nodded.

"I can't hear you." The deep voice said, closer now.

"Yes. Yes." XiChen stumbled over his words.

"Give me your hand."

XiChen held out his palm. Something warm and wet touched the middle, was it Wanyin's tongue?

XiChen moaned.

"I haven't asked you a question yet."

"S-sorry." XiChen could feel himself shaking already.

"And that's not yes or no."

Hot, hot, hot, he thought as something liquid at first, but then hardened into something solid.

"Do you know what that is?" The voice asked.

XiChen sniffed...there was something so familiar about the smell.

"Ah! Is it wax?"

"Once again, not a yes or no."

More wax was poured into his palm. He sucked in a breath.

The pain was unlike any other, at the beginning it burned, but sweetly, because it cooled almost immediately. He began looking forward to when he would answer wrong, his anticipation fueling his desire.

"Do you know why you are here?"

"No."

"Do you realize, that you have pushed me to this?"

"No." But he was confused. What had he done?

"Are you sure?"

"No." He answered without thinking, and was burned again.

"If you answer correctly, I shall reward you. If not, I shall leave you here until the morning. Do you understand?" The voice sounded angry.

"Yes."

"Do you think it's alright for married men to touch other people in a less than professional way?"

"No."

"Oh really?"

"Yes, I mean, no." XiChen was humming with electricity.

"Make up your mind." The voice whispered, right into his ear again.

"No. No touching." He reiterated.

"And do you think it's okay to hug other people, even if they're not immediate family?"

"Um...." He started thinking hard.

Clearly, Wanyin was pissed about something, although he wasn't sure what it was. So then, what had he done, and when?

Was he really hurt? XiChen couldn't stand that thought. But he had yet to answer.

"No, no touching."

More hot wax. It was having an effect on other parts of his body now.

"Then why did you do it?" The pain was evident in his voice, and XiChen couldn't take it any more.

He reached up and yanked the mask off, throwing it to the floor. He grabbed Jiang Cheng and kissed him.

This was not a sweet kiss.

Their lips crashed together, teeth biting, fighting for dominance, uncaring about the other's needs. Their tongues fought a fierce battle, invading foreign territory and planting a greater desire.

Finally, after the frenzy, XiChen licked his lip better, a way of apology.

They were both panting.

"I'm sorry I hurt you." Was the first thing XiChen said, seeing it masked in amethyst eyes.

Jiang Cheng said nothing.

"Wanyin, please. I am sorry."

"Until the next time." He bit out.

"No, no! That's not true!" XiChen cupped his face. "I love you. Only you. And I have let you down. It is unacceptable." He held out his hands. "Punish me."

Jiang Cheng stared at him.

"What do you want me to do?"

"What would you like to do?" XiChen asked sincerely.

Jiang Cheng came closer and leaned towards him.

"I want to make you scream."

XiChen flushed bright red, but in the dark, it looked like purple.

His favourite colour.

"I'm ready."

Jiang Cheng pulled off his belt and tied it around his wrists.

"Come."

*****

A/N

This is for my Bestie edzooc8r

It was hard. That's all you need to know, hehe.

See you all tomorrow, new day, new book.

Rest well and sweet dreams everyone!