Shou Xing had left much to think about, Wei Ying pondered, making his way back to the Jingshi. Was his daughter really in danger? Here? In Cloud Recesses, the most protected and warded place amongst the Clan territories?

Of course, he had to tell Lan Zhan first. Then they could decide what they were going to do.

SiZhui was sitting on the deck outside the Jingshi. Wei Ying smiled fondly when he saw him, and was reminded of the fact that he wanted to ask him something. He was a good kid, and Wei Ying knew he'd never ask for attention, preferring to watch from the sidelines, but that didn't mean he didn't crave it now and again.

Wei Ying knew he and Lan Zhan had been focusing much of their attention on their little one, because of circumstances relating to her than because of a bias, but it was time to put things right.

So he put on his brightest smile and sat down next to his son, putting an arm around shoulders that could take more weight now. Could, but shouldn't have to, he thought.

SiZhui's answering smile was only half there, an indication of his inner turmoil.

"What are you thinking about?" Wei Ying launched right in.

"What do you do, if you like someone?" He blurted it out, as if given the the time, he might have worded it differently.

Wei Ying's eyes filled with tears, memories of his Shijie flooding his mind. Why were both his children so good at throwing him back into the past? But right now, SiZhui, the best son, was worried about him, thinking he had said the wrong thing.

Wei Ying wiped his face and patted his back. "I asked my Shijie that, and you just put me back there. With her."

"I'm sorry."

"No, no, SiZhui, you can't say that. My Shijie was the best sister. Any moment, any memory of her and the time we spent together is a gift, and I should be thanking you."
He thought deeply about that, before answering. "At that time, I was so confused. I really liked your father, I mean more than friends, and I couldn't explain it, not to her and not to myself, either. I wanted to be around him all the time, and I mean, all the time. And I didn't understand it."

"But now you do?" SiZhui was hopeful.

"Yes, I do. And I can give you a different answer than what my Shijie told me, because that was what I needed to hear then, but this is for you." Wei Ying brushed away the strands of silky hair fluttering around his face and looked into those chocolate eyes brimming with confusion. "Who you love, doesn't matter one bit. It doesn't matter what form your soul mate comes in, because neither the shape nor gender matters. Not really. Our truest form, our souls can live anywhere; that is our magic. Who we choose to share that with, is our choice."

"How do I know I'm making the right choice?"

Wei Ying remembered A-Yuan, the cute, chubby, little fellow still present in the young man before him. His mannerisms were the same, how he thought, and the way he expressed himself, was the same.

Delighted, Wei Ying kissed his forehead, his lips lingering in honour of the time he lost, watching him grow.

"You don't! Do you think I knew? I was only concerned about my feelings and I was sure, one hundred percent, that your father did not feel the same. It took your Uncle XiChen to spell it out for me, and that reminds me, I've yet to thank him properly for that."

"Jin Ling...I don't think...he feels the same way." SiZhui sighed the deepest of sighs, reserved for those in love.

"Have you asked him? I feel like, given my own situation, that you should clarify. He might be taking after me, you know, and then if you're waiting for him, you'll never get anywhere." Wei Ying smiled broadly at the young man, too aware of what he was going through.

Footsteps alerted them to their visitor. Wei Ying watched his son stand up, red faced and actually sweating, while his nephew stared uncomfortably at both of them, shifting from one foot to the other.

He wanted to laugh out loud at their antics, and the awkwardness they were sure to be feeling. But he knew that they needed to resolve this by themselves, so he stood up.

"I bet you have lots to talk about." He stretched his arms up towards the sky, revelling in how good it felt to be able to do so. No pain, was an excellent feeling.

Both boys looked panicky, like baby birds pushed out of their nests.

"Actually, Uncle, I wanted to talk to you." Jin Ling ventured, hoping to keep him there as a buffer between himself and his friend. He'd had a lot of time to think about SiZhui's reaction to his news, and his conclusion meant things he didn't want to think about.

"Are you asking me about your problem?"

Jin Ling nodded, looking at the ground.

SiZhui watched him, face still red with embarrassment but now curiosity hung around its edges.

A disciple came to inform them that the sect leaders had arrived; XiChen and Jiang Cheng were passing through the gates of Cloud Recesses just then.

"Excellent!" Wei Ying turned on his billion watt smile. The disciple nearly passed out.

"I should be there to greet them." Wei Ying made to move past his nephew, but Jin Ling grabbed his arm. "My advice still stands true, Jin Ling. You have to make the choice." Wei Ying made sure his voice was low and did not carry.

"Let go of him." Lan Zhan stood a few feet away, glaring at the young man, holding his husband.

Wei Ying laughed awkwardly while prying his fingers off his own arm. The situation was already complicated without a stand off involving an angry Jade.

He bounced towards him and took his arm, leading him away from these young ones.

SiZhui stared at Jin Ling who could not or would not look at him.

It was now, or never.

"I think I love you." SiZhui couldn't believe he'd said that.

"I know." Jin Ling stared at his feet, unable to look up.

Their words hung in the air between them, and now neither knew what to do.

SiZhui had mixed emotions. On the one hand, he wanted to fist pump the air in jubilation, both because he thought he'd communicated it well, thank you, JingYi, and because now it was out there. But Jin Ling looked in no way happy about it. And that was a problem.

"So...?" He prodded when it looked like he wasn't going to get a reply.

"So...what? What do you want from me?" Jin Ling's voice was becoming angry.

"I'd like to know what you think, what you are thinking about it. And more importantly, do you feel the same?" His last words sounded too hopeful, even to himself.

"I DON'T KNOW!" Jin Ling exploded, throwing his sword on the ground and marching up to SiZhui. He grabbed his robes, hostility emanating in waves from his body.

SiZhui felt incredibly calm somehow, as if the other's anger was fueling his own composure. Their faces were just inches apart, breaths mingling, and all SiZhui could see was the burning fire reflected back at him in burgundy eyes.

"Take your time. Think about it."

Jin Ling pushed him away. "I have! I have thought about it. All the time, I can't think of anything else!"

"And?" SiZhui couldn't help himself; if Jin Ling thought he was the only one who had suffered in this last week, he was sorely mistaken. He deserved an answer.

"You're relentless!" Jin Ling spat out.

"Okay, how about this?" SiZhui continued as if he hadn't spoken. "Remember when we were just friends? You could talk to me about anything. How about you do that?"

Jin Ling sat down heavily. "I wish I knew how to feel. But my mind is going round in circles and I can't be sure of anything, any more."

"When it's hard to make a decision, it's easier if you go about it through elimination. So you'll be able to find out what you can't do. It will make this much easier." SiZhui joined him, when he looked at him, a glimmer of hope growing in his eyes.

"Bizarrely, that makes sense." Jin Ling admitted, reluctantly.

SiZhui smiled broadly at him, acknowledging the praise.

Jin Ling was reminded of his Uncle Wei. "Go on, then."

"Do you love her?"

"No."

"Do you want to marry her?" His voice was significantly happier.

"No. Not at all."

"Then why don't you stop it? Stop them from making you?" It seemed so easy to SiZhui, who couldn't understand why Jin Ling was being so...accommodating. This was not the time.

"I CAN'T!" Jin Ling pushed up from the deck, anger wafting out of him.

SiZhui followed him. "Why not?"

He was totally unprepared for the other to throw his arms around him and burst into tears.

SiZhui held on to him tightly. He had missed him so much, and this, this was just validating everything he felt. He kissed his forehead.

Jin Ling froze at the contact.

"Don't." He pushed SiZhui away again, and picked up his sword.

"Jin Ling!"

He paused, his back still facing the other. "Friends don't overstep boundaries." He whispered, loud enough for him to hear. He walked away to the sounds of SiZhui crying.