Zhu Yan watched almost fascinated as his Xiao Zhuo walked back with his usual composure and calmness. He had to admit that he owed one to the mountain god for lifting the spirits of his beloved demon hunter when he was in need of someone to extend a helping hand. As impressive as Yi Chen was as a mortal, his past and early losses had weighed so heavily on him that he had closed his heart to protect himself. Now, as a demon, that dam was beginning to crack and he needed someone to guide him when he was in the dark.
Unfortunately for Zhu Yan, that someone could not be him when Yi Chen was angry with him like right now and as much as he wanted to be by his side to be his pillar of support, he could not. Ying Lei had grown up on Kunlun Mountain under the care of his wise grandfather, so it was a good thing to have him around when neither Wen Xiao nor he himself was there to pat him on the back when he was down. However, being grateful was one thing, but letting him admire his Yi Chen so much was another, so when the two were close enough for them to see him he stepped in and blocked their way.
"Little mountain god, that demon beside you is rightfully mine, so please don't get too carried away with my man when I'm not around." Zhu Yan said in a mocking tone, though it carried a tinge of seriousness that Ying Lei could have heard a mile away. Why were male demons so damn jealous? He only told the commander that he admired him, it wasn't like he was confessing to him. Ying Lei thought as he shook his head in disapproval, although it only prove that Zhuo Yi Chen was right on point when warning him not to praise him in front of Zhu Yan.
"Zhao Yuan Zhou, who are you calling your man? First of all, if you don't care about my heart, why should it be yours? Secondly, whoever asks you to listen to others is rude and you have no right." Zhuo Yi Chen said as his anger began to flare again. So much for Ying Lei work in trying to cool him down, the mountain god sighed in defeat.
"Xiao Zhuo, I said I was sorry..." Zhu Yan said as he followed his angry lover, who decided to ignore him as best he could, by simply walking away. Ying Lei, on the other hand, let them go far ahead as they argued like an old married couple along the way.
"Like I said before, words means nothing to me, monkey." Yi Chen told him coldly as he stride faster.
"Yi Chen, I swear it wasn't even my idea, it was Wen Xiao's demand that we act to fool the princess. I have no choice but to deceive you."
"Funny, you said it was Wen Xiao's demand, but I failed to see how she forced any of you, even though I was behind her. Deceiving me is fine, you perverted monkey, but hurting yourself in front of me when I clearly opposed it's... is... is cruel!" Yi Chen paused for a moment to look at Zhu Yan to reinforce his argument, then turned around and continued walking.
"I'm sorry, Yi Chen, I won't do it again."
"I've heard that before, and you know what? It keeps getting repeated."
"Please Yi Chen... that wasn't my fault, it just happen to be necessary."
"Yes, in the same way it's necessary for me for you to get lost!"
"Xiao Zhuo! Please, don't be heartless, I'm still weak... Xiao Zhuo! I swear I will repent... Yi Chen!" Zhu Yan kept trying as he followed Yi Chen, while Ying Lei laughed amusedly behind them, seeing how far the great demon had fallen from grace. It was evident to everyone that the commander controlled their relationship, and it didn't look like it was going to change anytime soon.
Some time later, when everyone gathered after Wen Xiao's success in obtaining the princess's scale, they sat down around a stone table to celebrate the good news with food and drink. Even if things didn't end well for the princess, at least her sacrifice would give them the opportunity to repair the sword, which in turn would help them save the innocent and prevent further tragedy.
"I must say, the goddess's plan, though a little unorthodox, was sound. Honestly, I was surprised when she said that she and the great demon were a couple, and right under the commander's ears, no less. How bold, goddess!" Ying Lei remarked as he sipped some wine from his cup.
Perhaps it was because the wine was already starting to take effect, or perhaps it was simply his nature, that Ying Lei felt they should spend time together more often, and going over the events of that day seemed like a good way to start. After all, the commander and the great demon were still feuding, and perhaps a little fun would help them make up.
"Sorry, Xiao Zhuo, it's not that I wanted to take your great demon away, I just needed a good story and someone to back it up. Your aunt was wrong..." Wen Xiao said, though she tried to hold back her laughter at Zhu Yan's mortified expression as he drank from his flask.
"You can have him all you want." Yi Chen offered before downing his glass in one gulp.
"Xiao Zhuo!" Zhu Yan protested as Zhuo Yi Chen looked away.
"Come on, guys, don't be like that, we all know how much you love each other." Wen Xiao chimed in with a sweet smile.
"Then you tell him, oh mighty goddess. It's your fault that he is still angry at me after all..." Zhu Yan complained, and Pei Si Jing covered her mouth with a hand to hide a silent laugh.
"Xiao Zhuo, next time I'll help you trick the monkey. It was just bad luck that you were behind me when I showed the others what I wrote." Wen Xiao tries to persuade him further.
"No bad luck, it was necessary or the whole thing was going to fall apart. He doesn't know how to lie." Ying Lei just had to rub salt in Yi Chen's wound.
"Stupid mountain god, you're not helping, shut up..." Zhu Yan chided the young man as he felt Yi Chen tense up beside him.
"Ah, sorry... but the important thing is that it worked." Ying Lei tried to correct himself, though the whole thing had been hilarious, especially the commander's repeated rejections of the great demon's attempts at forgiveness.
"Thank the gods it worked, otherwise the whole drama would have been for nothing," Wen Xiao joked as she looked at the two great demons, and Zhu Yan rubbed his forehead in frustration.
"I swear, you're all useless. Please stop the teasing, I'm already on the brink."
"Then fall down already." Yi Chen told him coldly.
"Xiao Zhuo, don't be harsh. I'm doing my best to make it up to you."
"As if apologizing will do you any good..."
"Then tell me what you want and consider it done."
"Kiss him... that usually works." Wen Xiao suggested to Zhu Yan.
"Wen Xiao!" Yi Chen shouted in real outrage.
"It's not like you haven't done it before, right? Let me tell you, life is precious, Xiao Zhuo, so enjoy it while you still can..." Wen Xiao said with a touch of sadness that did not go unnoticed by the huntress. Yi Chen however melt in embarrassment.
"Oh, please, no more kissing, I've seen more than enough for one day." Ying Lei protested, but seeing his opportunity, Zhu Yan shamelessly pulled Yi Chen towards him so quickly that the commander didn't have time to stop or brace himself for the impact and while holding him tightly, he kissed Yi Chen.
Sensing that the commander was resisting the kiss, Zhu Yan simply summoned his dark energy to cocoon them, as he had done before in Qing Geng's Village, and softened the kiss, loosening his grip so that Yi Chen wouldn't freak out, or at least that was the intention, because at the end, his beloved did end the kiss suddenly.
"Zhu Yan! You... let me go!"
"Xiao Zhuo, please be angry with me all you want, but don't let this tear us apart. It's a shame that I have to follow Wen Xiao's suggestion so abruptly, even forcing us to hide from others, but you really leave me no choice. Yes, hurting myself in front of you was wrong, but if I hadn't acted, the other option was death. Which of the two would have hurt you more?" He asked wholeheartedly and after a moment of silence, Yi Chen sighed.
"Can they see us inside this barrier?"
"No."
"Can they hear us?"
"No."
"Fine, I will let you go this time..."
"Then..."
"Then just finish with what you started..."
"Gladly." Zhu Yan smiled before closing the small distance between them and kissing him. Surrounded by his energy, he didn't hold back the kiss because he had been itching for it since the last one and judging by Yi Chen's passionate response, so had he.
Minutes later, when the kissing was over, Zhu Yan broke the barrier and acted as if nothing had happened as Yi Chen's face and ears burned. There was no need for the others to ask about the result of their hidden time.
"Well, now that everything is back to normal, here Xiao Zhuo, the dragon scale to repair the Cloud Light Sword." Wen Xiao offered him the box containing the scale that had given them so much pain.
"Wait, there's no rush. This is the only scale we'll ever have in our hands, and since we don't know how to repair it yet, we should wait for Bai Yin to guide us in this endeavor." Zhu Yan said, and Yi Chen looked at him suspiciously, because Zhu Yan basically snatched the box from his hand.
"I think he's right. This affair is a matter of success or failure, and nothing can go wrong or there will be no more chances." Pei Si Jing said she saw nothing wrong with the great demon's reasoning.
"Then, for the time being, this dragon scale should be in the hands of..."
"Me!" Ying Lei interrupted Zhu Yan with dramatic enthusiasm, raising his hand.
"You? Why you?" Zhu Yan asked, looking at the mountain god as if he were crazy.
"Well, why not? Do you think I'm incapable of protecting something that can save Bai Jiu and the commander?" Ying Lei asked defiantly.
"Well, yes..." Zhu Yan answered truthfully.
"Why you! Just to be clear, I'm the only one who can track that scale if it happen to be caught in the wrong hand."
"I can too, after all, I'm a great demon."
"That's no longer the case is it? Haven't you weakened after having your senses sealed?"
"Even so, I'm better than you."
"Okay, that's enough. Zhu Yan, give Ying Lei the chance. He cares about Bai Jiu as much as we do." Yi Chen intervened causing Zhu Yan to stare at him with his mouth open in disbelief and the young god with happy admiration.
"Xiao Zhuo... are you still angry with me?" Zhu Yan asked him.
"No. Ying Lei will prioritize the scale over anything else and not even you can argue that." Yi Chen said quite tired at that point.
"Alright, but since Li Lun want to stop us from repairing the sword so badly, let me seal it." Zhu Yan said as he used his one-word spell to do it, then give the young mountain god the box.
"If Li Lun comes for it, remember to guard it well..." He warned Ying Lei.
"Of course. No matter what it takes, I will keep it safe." He said with solemnity.
"Fine." Zhu Yan hissed.
"Then I think we should rest for the rest of the night. To be honest, I'm quite tired. As soon as Bai Yin returns from her trip, we can take the next step, whatever it may be." Yi Chen stood up and, after taking a last sip of wine in his glass, turned to leave.
"Xiao Zhou, you've really did a number on him this time. Please take good care of him..." Wen Xiao told him and ignoring her, Zhu Yan silently followed his lover back to his room.
"Xiao Zhuo..."
"I'm very tired, Zhu Yan. Either you share the bed with me or sleep on the floor, it's your choice."
"Just sharing?"
"Yes, don't you want to? It'll certainly be better than sleeping on the floor for sure."
"Then how about a warm hug? Your energy is so very cold..."
"Alright... do whatever you want. I won't be conscious anyway..." Yi Chen said as he lay down on the bed and took off his boots.
"You really are tired..."
"I am, so please behave yourself."
"Fine, I can do that... at least for one night." Zhu Yan added with a mocking smile, getting into bed next to his cold demon.
"We will see about that..."
"Oh, trust me, one day you will beg me for more..." Zhu Yan said wickedly as he hug him, making Yi Chen smile.
"Keep dreaming, you pervert monkey..."
"Ape... white ape..."
"Still monkey..." Yi Chen whisper as he closed his eyes and enjoy of his white ape warmth.
AN: For those who wanted the cold shoulder dramatic show of those two, here the long version.