You guys should know by now that "tonight" means "sometime in the next week or two"
What are you talking about? >.< This is not late. The problem with working on three things at once is that you never seem to get anything done on any of them. (That modern!AU fic is still almost entirely in my notebook.)
Also, I knew I recognized Mitsuhide's voice from somewhere. >.<
--------(This doesn't have a title yet and I am up for suggestions) CHAPTER ONE!--------
Lu Xun, Cao Pi decided, was the only good thing about Wu. He could really care less about the rest of them. Messengers, particularly, annoyed him. They never seemed to bring good news, at least not when the message was signed by one of the wiser men of Wu. The whole lot of them were simply far too protective.
Judging from the look on Lu Xun face, this particular message probably ought to be used as kindling. Cao Pi wasn’t sure exactly what it said yet, but he could manage a decent guess. As he began wondering how long he could keep Lu Xun in Wei before that blasted Sun Quan started getting suspicious, Lu Xun carefully folded the message and looked down at the floor.
“They want me to return to Wu as soon as possible. I am to leave tonight, if at all possible.” Yes, Cao Pi definitely hated Wu. He thought for a moment.
“No.”
Lu Xun looked up in surprise, perplexed. “But, Lord Cao Pi…”
“You’re not going back. Tell them I have need of your talents here.”
“I…”
“Wei has its own share of problems. Wu has officers of their own, do they not?” Cao Pi wrapped his arms around Lu Xun’s waist and pulled him in. “I need you here.”
A hand went up to keep Cao Pi from getting to close. “I… I can’t. I have to go. Lord Sun Jian orders it.”
“Forget him. Send him a message telling him I require your services far more than he does.”
“Cao Pi…” Lu Xun leaned forward, resting his forehead on Cao Pi’s collarbone, “I have to go.”
Cao Pi said nothing, simply tightening his grip. Lu Xun waited for a moment, then continued, “I don’t want to go; I want to stay here with you. But…” He looked up at Cao Pi, eyes begging for some solution that didn’t exist. He struck Cao Pi as looking a bit like a dog that had just been punished, but couldn’t figure out why.
“Then stay.”
“No. I can’t. I’m sorry, Cao Pi… I’m sorry. It’s probably just for a little while, I’ll be back soon… It shouldn’t be more than a few weeks, surely.”
“Xun?”
“Hm?
“Stop lying.” Lu Xun looked away, the scolding stinging more than it probably should, “They don’t like me. They’ll keep you for as long as they can find excuses to, and we both know it.” Cao Pi grabbed the letter from Lu Xun’s hand, “This is probably just an excuse as well.” He let it drop to the floor.
“I have to go. I don’t have a choice.”
“I think you do.”
“I… I have to go. I’ll leave tomorrow. I want to stay with you… tonight.” Lu Xun looked up at him, somewhat timidly. Cao Pi smirked.
“It’s not often you say things like that.”
“Then enjoy it. Just be gentle, please. I want to be with you, but I don’t want to have to explain anything embarrassing, either…”
Cao Pi laughed, “I’ll go a little easier than usual.”
*
“Pi? Are you still awake?”
“Yes. What’s wrong?”
*
Cao Pi hadn’t realized that by ‘tomorrow,’ Lu Xun had meant dawn. He wouldn’t dare admit it, but he was hoping to have a quiet morning with the boy all to himself. Instead, he found himself standing out in the cold, the sun just barely beginning to peak over the horizon, arms crossed against the chill that the sun wasn’t yet high enough to dispel. Had it been up to him in the slightest, he’d still be bed, with Lu Xun next to him to keep away that chill. But Lu Xun had been insistent, and so he was instead standing outside, watching Lu Xun ready his horse for the ride before him.
“It’s far too early to leave. Just wait until the sun comes up.”
“I can’t wait that long. It will already be a push to make it there in time.”
“Why the rush? Tell them you were delayed.”
Lu Xun shook his head as he gave his horse a pat, “I should have left yesterday as it is. I can’t afford to waste much time now.”
Cao Pi let out a sigh. “Come, at least give me two more minutes of your company before you leave.”
Lu Xun paused for a moment, looking ready to mount his horse anyway, but he relented and walked over to Cao Pi.
“Cao Pi… I’ll miss you.”
Cao Pi put his arms around him, holding him in a gentle hug that Lu Xun only got when Cao Pi was about to lose him for some reason. Lu Xun returned the hug by holding Cao Pi as tightly as he could, hesitant to loosen his grip lest Cao Pi slip away from him too soon.
“Stay,” Cao Pi asked for what must have been the hundredth time since Lu Xun had received his summons. However, for the first time, Lu Xun faltered a moment before answering.
“Please don’t ask that.”
“Why not?”
“Because I’ll say yes.” His breath caught in his throat, and Cao Pi realized the boy was crying. He held him for a moment before reaching out to wipe the tears away from his eyes.
“That’s what I want, you know,” this whisper brought on a fresh wave of tears from Lu Xun.
“I love you. More than anything in the world.”
“Then why are you leaving me?”
“I… I have to…”
“You don’t.”
“I do!” The tears were now coming far too fast for Cao Pi to wipe them away, so he let them
fall and smoothed down Lu Xun’s hair instead. “You’re a prince… you don’t understand what it’s like to have a lord to serve. He’s almost as important to me as you are!”
“I’ll get you away from him one day. I swear, one day I’ll make you mine alone.”
“Cao Pi…” Lu Xun looked out over the horizon at the sun, and Cao Pi followed his gaze. It seemed to be rising far too fast. He wanted just a few more minutes…
“I should get going now.” Despite his words, Lu Xun made no attempt to move from Cao Pi’s grasp. For just a moment, Cao Pi thought he might have changed his mind, until he finally tore himself away. He took a few brisk steps towards his horse when Cao Pi decided this was all happening too fast.
“Xun!” Cao Pi came up behind him, spinning him around to face him and holding him in a long kiss. Lu Xun hesitated for a moment, unsure of whether he could trust himself to get too involved in this, before giving in and reaching up to thread his fingers through Cao Pi’s hair. They remained like that longer than Lu Xun knew they should have, allowing himself to be drawn in by Cao Pi kisses. Something told him he should make the most of this opportunity, since he didn’t know when he’d next see the prince. Once again, however, the light of the sun pulled him from this moment of intimacy, and he pulled away from Cao Pi, taking a few steps back.
“I have to go.”
Cao Pi looked at him for a moment, and reluctantly nodded his consent. He watched as Lu Xun silently mounted his horse.
“I’ll come back soon.”
“If you don’t, I’ll come after you.” Lu Xun managed a weak smile at this, and nudged his horse into a trot. They were both silent as Cao Pi watched Lu Xun fade into the distance, bound for a land that would forever serve only to keep them apart.
Also, I knew I recognized Mitsuhide's voice from somewhere. >.<
--------(This doesn't have a title yet and I am up for suggestions) CHAPTER ONE!--------
Lu Xun, Cao Pi decided, was the only good thing about Wu. He could really care less about the rest of them. Messengers, particularly, annoyed him. They never seemed to bring good news, at least not when the message was signed by one of the wiser men of Wu. The whole lot of them were simply far too protective.
Judging from the look on Lu Xun face, this particular message probably ought to be used as kindling. Cao Pi wasn’t sure exactly what it said yet, but he could manage a decent guess. As he began wondering how long he could keep Lu Xun in Wei before that blasted Sun Quan started getting suspicious, Lu Xun carefully folded the message and looked down at the floor.
“They want me to return to Wu as soon as possible. I am to leave tonight, if at all possible.” Yes, Cao Pi definitely hated Wu. He thought for a moment.
“No.”
Lu Xun looked up in surprise, perplexed. “But, Lord Cao Pi…”
“You’re not going back. Tell them I have need of your talents here.”
“I…”
“Wei has its own share of problems. Wu has officers of their own, do they not?” Cao Pi wrapped his arms around Lu Xun’s waist and pulled him in. “I need you here.”
A hand went up to keep Cao Pi from getting to close. “I… I can’t. I have to go. Lord Sun Jian orders it.”
“Forget him. Send him a message telling him I require your services far more than he does.”
“Cao Pi…” Lu Xun leaned forward, resting his forehead on Cao Pi’s collarbone, “I have to go.”
Cao Pi said nothing, simply tightening his grip. Lu Xun waited for a moment, then continued, “I don’t want to go; I want to stay here with you. But…” He looked up at Cao Pi, eyes begging for some solution that didn’t exist. He struck Cao Pi as looking a bit like a dog that had just been punished, but couldn’t figure out why.
“Then stay.”
“No. I can’t. I’m sorry, Cao Pi… I’m sorry. It’s probably just for a little while, I’ll be back soon… It shouldn’t be more than a few weeks, surely.”
“Xun?”
“Hm?
“Stop lying.” Lu Xun looked away, the scolding stinging more than it probably should, “They don’t like me. They’ll keep you for as long as they can find excuses to, and we both know it.” Cao Pi grabbed the letter from Lu Xun’s hand, “This is probably just an excuse as well.” He let it drop to the floor.
“I have to go. I don’t have a choice.”
“I think you do.”
“I… I have to go. I’ll leave tomorrow. I want to stay with you… tonight.” Lu Xun looked up at him, somewhat timidly. Cao Pi smirked.
“It’s not often you say things like that.”
“Then enjoy it. Just be gentle, please. I want to be with you, but I don’t want to have to explain anything embarrassing, either…”
Cao Pi laughed, “I’ll go a little easier than usual.”
*
“Pi? Are you still awake?”
“Yes. What’s wrong?”
*
Cao Pi hadn’t realized that by ‘tomorrow,’ Lu Xun had meant dawn. He wouldn’t dare admit it, but he was hoping to have a quiet morning with the boy all to himself. Instead, he found himself standing out in the cold, the sun just barely beginning to peak over the horizon, arms crossed against the chill that the sun wasn’t yet high enough to dispel. Had it been up to him in the slightest, he’d still be bed, with Lu Xun next to him to keep away that chill. But Lu Xun had been insistent, and so he was instead standing outside, watching Lu Xun ready his horse for the ride before him.
“It’s far too early to leave. Just wait until the sun comes up.”
“I can’t wait that long. It will already be a push to make it there in time.”
“Why the rush? Tell them you were delayed.”
Lu Xun shook his head as he gave his horse a pat, “I should have left yesterday as it is. I can’t afford to waste much time now.”
Cao Pi let out a sigh. “Come, at least give me two more minutes of your company before you leave.”
Lu Xun paused for a moment, looking ready to mount his horse anyway, but he relented and walked over to Cao Pi.
“Cao Pi… I’ll miss you.”
Cao Pi put his arms around him, holding him in a gentle hug that Lu Xun only got when Cao Pi was about to lose him for some reason. Lu Xun returned the hug by holding Cao Pi as tightly as he could, hesitant to loosen his grip lest Cao Pi slip away from him too soon.
“Stay,” Cao Pi asked for what must have been the hundredth time since Lu Xun had received his summons. However, for the first time, Lu Xun faltered a moment before answering.
“Please don’t ask that.”
“Why not?”
“Because I’ll say yes.” His breath caught in his throat, and Cao Pi realized the boy was crying. He held him for a moment before reaching out to wipe the tears away from his eyes.
“That’s what I want, you know,” this whisper brought on a fresh wave of tears from Lu Xun.
“I love you. More than anything in the world.”
“Then why are you leaving me?”
“I… I have to…”
“You don’t.”
“I do!” The tears were now coming far too fast for Cao Pi to wipe them away, so he let them
fall and smoothed down Lu Xun’s hair instead. “You’re a prince… you don’t understand what it’s like to have a lord to serve. He’s almost as important to me as you are!”
“I’ll get you away from him one day. I swear, one day I’ll make you mine alone.”
“Cao Pi…” Lu Xun looked out over the horizon at the sun, and Cao Pi followed his gaze. It seemed to be rising far too fast. He wanted just a few more minutes…
“I should get going now.” Despite his words, Lu Xun made no attempt to move from Cao Pi’s grasp. For just a moment, Cao Pi thought he might have changed his mind, until he finally tore himself away. He took a few brisk steps towards his horse when Cao Pi decided this was all happening too fast.
“Xun!” Cao Pi came up behind him, spinning him around to face him and holding him in a long kiss. Lu Xun hesitated for a moment, unsure of whether he could trust himself to get too involved in this, before giving in and reaching up to thread his fingers through Cao Pi’s hair. They remained like that longer than Lu Xun knew they should have, allowing himself to be drawn in by Cao Pi kisses. Something told him he should make the most of this opportunity, since he didn’t know when he’d next see the prince. Once again, however, the light of the sun pulled him from this moment of intimacy, and he pulled away from Cao Pi, taking a few steps back.
“I have to go.”
Cao Pi looked at him for a moment, and reluctantly nodded his consent. He watched as Lu Xun silently mounted his horse.
“I’ll come back soon.”
“If you don’t, I’ll come after you.” Lu Xun managed a weak smile at this, and nudged his horse into a trot. They were both silent as Cao Pi watched Lu Xun fade into the distance, bound for a land that would forever serve only to keep them apart.