JingYi was worried. This was an unusual feeling for him, mostly reserved for night hunts and creatures he met for the first - and hopefully the last - time.

SiZhui was missing.

He was somewhere around Cloud Recesses but JingYi hadn't seen him for a few days now, resulting in a mild but persistent headache behind his eyes.

In the morning, SiZhui would get up earlier than himself, so there was no chance to talk, and when they went to sleep, JingYi would inevitably fall asleep waiting for him to return. He would try to catch his friend in the dining hall, only to be told that he had 'just missed' him. This was becoming true for all the locations around Cloud Recesses until JingYi thought his friend had developed some other worldly powers which enabled him to avoid whomever he wished to.

So JingYi had to get creative. First, he faked being sick and made sure everyone knew he was going to spend the day in bed. Then, he hid behind the bushes in the rabbit enclosure, because SiZhui always fed the rabbits, and he was bound to come along at least once. Plus, he was troubled in mind, and that would normally mean more than one visit.

He didn't have long to wait, but unfortunately, he had forgotten his hatred of suspense. SiZhui came and sat among his friends and fed them carrots from his basket.

But JingYi was now in a dilemma: if he jumped out without a warning, he'd probably scare both of them, and coming out slowly was...just weird. Who would have a plausible reason to hide behind a bush? Nobody sane, anyway, JingYi thought to himself, regretting his plan that had appeared brilliant before actual execution.

So he tried to jump out quietly, only to find his robes had caught on the thorny underside of said plant, and he was scared that something had caught him and wasn't letting go, so he shrieked in a panic.

SiZhui yelled, sword drawn at the sudden noise behind him. They both stared at each other, not moving and chests heaving while they tried to breathe properly again.

"Why are you here?" SiZhui asked finally, sheathing his weapon. He sat back down again.

The rabbits that had scattered upon the sudden noise, crept forward warily, ready to leave at the slightest disturbance.

"It was the only way to catch you." JingYi stood up and brushed away the loose soil on his clothes. Why was it such a challenge to keep his robes clean? And of course, it had to be a rule. He joined his friend and picked up a fluffy pal.

"I don't know what you mean." Sizhui stared hard at the carrot in his hand.

"Sure you don't." JingYi scoffed, taking it from him. "I haven't seen you for at least four days now, and the only time that's happened is when we were in the nursery. You've been avoiding me, on purpose."

Silence.

"Tell me what's going on? I'm worried about you."

"It's Jin Ling." The words were mumbled and difficult to hear.

"Okay." He prompted, only to be met with more silence. "And?" He nudged him. "Don't leave me hanging. What happened with the young mistress?"

"Don't call him that!" SiZhui shoved him, but it was a half hearted attempt.

"Chill, man! I've always called him that." JingYi had his palms out. "So what happened? Did you kiss him?"

SiZhui burned a bright red.

"Oh my! You did, didn't you?" JingYi started laughing.

SiZhui wanted to hit something, no, someone.

"Wow, I didn't think you'd go that far. How'd he take it?" JingYi carried on, ignoring the other's discomfort.

SiZhui mumbled something unclearly.

"What? I can't hear you." JingYi leaned closer.

SiZhui repeated himself quietly.

"Did you say 'forehead'? You kissed him on the forehead?"

SiZhui nodded.

"And you're sitting here, freaking out because of a kiss on the forehead?" JingYi was looking at him in disbelief.

SiZhui nodded again, feeling miserable.

"It could've been far worse, you know." He threw an arm over his shoulders, repressing laughter.

"How?"

"You could have kissed him on the lips. Then all this," he waved a hand up and down his body, "would be worth it."

"I forced myself on him. And he left saying, friends didn't overstep boundaries. I hurt him." A tear escaped.

JingYi couldn't believe what he was hearing. "You can't be serious? You kissed his head! People do that all the time. Your father, and his uncle, Senior Wei does it all the time. He just overreacted, and you're beating yourself up for nothing. Trust me, it definitely could have been worse."

JingYi looked at his friend, someone he loved in a purely platonic way, and felt sorry for him.

"Look at me. I'm your friend and I care about you. You are taking it too seriously. He'll come to his senses, hopefully in time to stop himself from making a big mistake, if what you say is true." JingYi lay down on the grass, hands behind his head.

"If what is true?" SiZhui joined him.

"If he truly doesn't want to get married."

"He doesn't."

"Then you have nothing to worry about. It's in a few days, right?" JingYi yawned.

"Yes." SiZhui also yawned, and then smacked his friend.

"Ow! What was that for?" JingYi smacked him back.

"You're making me sleepy. You yawned first." Smack.

"We should go. And yawning is natural. You can't hit me for that." Smack.

"I don't want to. And I can hit you whenever I want to." They traded hits and it turned into a game of avoidance and retaliation, until both were out of breath and laughing at how silly they were.

JingYi was forming another plan in his head while he recovered, something that needed the cooperation of his friend.

"We're going, because otherwise you'll just be moping around Cloud Recesses. Over there, you can mope and have cake. Win, win."

SiZhui thumped him.

*******

Cloud Recesses was working wonders on Jiang Cheng's health and he began recovering at a faster rate. Of course, this resulted in a much happier XiChen too, whose steps were lighter and he smiled more often.

Wei Ying was glad to see both of them looking much better. He came to visit with them both, and over tea, he told them what Shou Xing had told him, plus the events of the night before.

"You should have seen it, Jiang Cheng! I've never seen so much water in my life!" Wei Ying chugged down the tea.

XiChen refilled it, watching him talk so animatedly, it made him smile. His Brother Wei was a sight for sore eyes. His bright personality was medicine for the ailing. Even if his husband didn't want to admit it. He was already frowning at something Wei Ying said.

"What do you mean, you want to go and see it, in real life?" Jiang Cheng scowled. "I forbid it! You can't go!"

Wei Ying stuck his tongue out at him, earning himself a smack on his arm.

"I only said, it would be nice to see it in person. Plus, if it's something to do with my daughter's heritage, then that's a good enough reason to go." The more Wei Ying thought about it, the more he was liking this idea. "It would be great if she still had some family left."

"We are her family. She doesn't need anyone else." Jiang Cheng was clearly getting agitated.

"We can talk about this later." XiChen injected, brightly.

They both scowled at him.

He stepped back, muttering, "clan duties." And left.

They could sort themselves out.