Part 3, Chapter 1

Just because I’m annoyed doesn’t mean I don’t love you.

Part 3

Ch 1

Jianyu rushed into the courtyard he shared with his wife, terrified of what he might not find. To his relief Xun was there, sunning on the step like a cat as she flipped through a book of tactics he had used to explain chess to her back when they had first begun writing to each other. 

“You’re back,” she said, not looking up at him.

“Um… yes,” he replied awkwardly. He stood in their yard, dripping other people’s blood, smelling of offal, with the might and majesty of the Heavenly Realm wrapped around him like a mantle, and he might as well have been a school boy who had cheated on his lessons for all the attention she was giving him. The schoolboy probably would have gotten more attention, he thought miserably.

“How long did you know?” she asked him.

“Since the fight with my uncle,” he muttered, almost under his breath.

“When?” She asked again, cutting her eyes at him.

“Since the fight with the God of War,” he said again with more volume.

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Because…” because I was afraid. Afraid you would run from me, or stop talking to me. Afraid I would loose you. I can loose almost anything, but I can’t loose you! The words flooded into his brain, but he couldn’t force his mouth to utter them. He just stood there, helpless.

Xun set down her book, rose, and sauntered over to him. When she stood inches from him she slowly, slowly turned her eyes upwards until he was pinned by her stare. “Because?” She repeated.

There was nowhere to hide. “I was afraid. I was afraid that you loved Leng Zai and you wouldn’t be able to love Jianyu. Please, don’t leave me.”

Xun went on tiptoe, and very delicately so that she didn’t touch him anywhere else, pressed her lips to his in a deliberate, pointed kiss before settling back to stand in front of him. “I love you. I have loved you since before you knew I existed. I will love you until we both return to the firmament.”

“I…” he started.

“Stink,” she finished. “Go to the back and strip off that armor. I’ll bring a tub of scented water so you can scrub yourself clean.” She eyed him up and down. “Two tubs.”