The tower wasn’t like the other tower. It wasn’t never-ending. It was pretty much just a room.

“Leave. There is no value in you being here. You won’t learn anything.”

Yue was upset by the disembodied voice. It was likely the reason the walls of the tower were barren and the infinite winding halls disappeared.

“Where else should I go for answers then?” Yue spat, glaring at space.

“The world after the door closes.”

“What door—“

Yue was viciously launched out of the tower. He stared at it in shock.

“What the hell?!”

— A few weeks later--------

Mai and Huy’s wedding came very quickly and it was very beautiful. Their family and friends came and watched and witnessed their union, along with some followers who were disguised as servants or everyday ‘friends’.

Mai had been a little upset over the two separate letters she received from Viktor and Yue, both of them saying that they might be late but Huy said he could feel them nearby so she felt happier as the ceremony started. She let the ceremony continue even though she hadn’t actually seen them, she was sure they had their reasons for hiding.

‘He’s probably already over there.’ Viktor thought to himself as he watched the wedding from the distance. The wedding was held in a large pavilion on a lake. Viktor stood at a bridge that connected to a smaller pavilion that led to the large one where the wedding was. He slowly walked to the smaller pavilion. He wanted to congratulate his friends but he didn’t feel ready to see Yue. His mother was already among the other wedding guests so he could leave a message with her but he had come so he’d like to at least speak to them.

Yue was somewhere in the crowd of guests. He could feel him nearby. He didn’t know exactly where but he was obviously around. Viktor didn’t want to see him though. He didn’t feel ready to see him. Not after running away from him like that…He didn’t like to say that he had run away but Natasha had worded it that way and he knew that would be how Yue saw it too.

He was going to start walking to the other guests but a voice took his breath away.

“Are you ready to stop running away?” 

Viktor froze completely. He didn’t want to turn around. He wasn’t sure why he expected Yue to not show up without him realizing it. Even though they were in the south, Yue still had a lot more power than back in Europe.

Yue stood behind him, wearing a blue and gold Ao Dai. He seemed fully aware that Viktor didn’t want to turn around.

He slid his hand to hold Viktor’s and moved so he was standing beside him.

“So? Where were you?” Yue asked, watching the wedding as he spoke.

“…Russia,” Viktor murmured, glancing at Yue. Maybe it was because they hadn’t seen one another in weeks but Yue looked even more beautiful than ever. And he seemed stronger than ever as well.

“Do you know more about what’s going on with you now?” Yue asked.

Viktor nodded.

“Then why didn’t you come back to me?”

Viktor was silent.

“I wanted to fix what was wrong with me before I went back…” He murmured after a period of silence.

“And you didn’t even send a letter?” 

“…I’m sorry,” Viktor murmured. He felt even more pathetic than he did when he was sitting in Russia thinking about everything that had happened. He felt like a coward.

Yue stayed silent for a bit and moved so he was standing right in front of Viktor.

“Just tell me everything. And don’t run away from me again. Then I’ll forgive you.” Yue said and held Viktor’s face.

Viktor’s expression was clearly pained. He didn’t feel like he deserved Yue’s forgiveness.

“I almost—“

“The only thing you did was run away from me, Vitya. You didn’t hurt me physically. At all.” Yue said and kissed Viktor’s cheek.

Viktor hid his head in Yue’s shoulder. He didn't know what to do.

“I love you,” Yue said and Viktor couldn’t help but completely give in and hug his waist.

“I love you too,” Viktor whispered and they just hugged one another for a while in silence.

“Let’s go. I’m sure Mai is upset that we’re late.” Yue said and smiled.

It was a calm smile. It wasn’t a carefree smile that pretended that all was right in the world but it brought Viktor comfort.

“Ah! There you are.” Mai said as she saw them and went over to them.

Yue hugged her and whispered congratulations. He nodded toward Huy and smiled, giving him the same congratulations.

Yue’s smile widened as he watched Mai’s form, it was just like the prophecy he had. Mai looked amazing in her red wedding clothes. It made him wish for everything to settle so he could finally have his own wedding. He glanced at Viktor who was congratulating the couple and didn’t notice his momentary gaze.

Mai was going to accept the congratulations from Viktor next but she was a bit sidetracked, Yue seemed a bit different, she didn’t notice Yue’s gaze toward Viktor, she just noticed how his vibe was different. She quickly snapped out of it and smiled.

“I thought you weren’t going to make it,” Mai said and sighed in relief.

“I wouldn’t miss it for the world,” Yue said and smiled, he looked down for a second and then went back to hold Viktor’s hand. 

“You two made it?” Elena and Aylin walked over to them. 

Elena seemed fine but Yue could see her concern for them in her eyes.

“Yes, we just finished dealing with the dungeon and tried to come over as soon as possible,” Yue said and smiled.

Viktor was glad their excuse for being late had been the same, it made it easier to follow.

“Why’d you send two separate letters?“ Mai asked with a confused look.

“The dungeon was a weird one. When we cleared it we ended up in two different locations.” Yue took the lead in explaining.

 “It took some time to meet up.” Yue laughed.

“Where were you sent?” Mai asked.

“Oh, I was sent back to the temple. And Viktor…” Yue chuckled a little, he was acting so perfectly.

“We know how he feels about mountains,” Yue said and smiled. Viktor felt a little ashamed and pouty as if this had actually happened.

Everyone laughed a little.

“What a unique dungeon, did you find anything interesting?” Huy asked.

“Ah…It’s a bit unsettling, I’ll tell you about it at a later time.” Yue’s facade dropped a little, it all worked with his story though.

Later in the night Elena walked up to Yue and Viktor in a more private setting and insisted on looking over Yue’s face.

“Are you really alright?” Elena asked and carefully looked at Yue’s eyelids.

“I’m fine. Viktor healed me a lot…and it wasn’t nearly as bad as he describes.” Yue explained.

Elena paused to look at Yue’s eyes for a second.

“Your core level has risen quite a bit,” Elena noted.

Viktor took a good look at Yue’s core, he had noticed a change but he hadn’t looked into it.

“You’re already at Peak Opal…you’re really climbing quickly,” Elena murmured, she seemed relieved by this.

“I trained a lot while I was alone in the temple.” 

Yue’s words made Viktor flinch a little and hold his hand more tightly. He looked like a kicked puppy and Yue refused to even spare him a glance.

Elena chuckled a little as she watched the interaction, “Don’t be too hard on him, he’s always been a crybaby like that.”

Yue sighed and nodded a little.

—

Viktor still looked like a kicked puppy as he entered the guest room that had been prepared for them.

Yue sat down on the sofa and looked at him.

“Come here.” He patted the place beside him.

Viktor sat down, he felt like he should sit up straight and prepare to be scolded but Yue just moved so he was sitting on Viktor’s lap.

“I’m not mad anymore, okay?” Yue said and kissed Viktor’s forehead.

Viktor relaxed a little after hearing that.

“Today we should just relax. Tomorrow you can tell me everything.” Yue said and smiled before pecking Viktor’s lips.

Viktor hugged Yue tightly.

“I don’t deserve you,” He whispered into Yue’s neck.

“Yes, you do,” Yue said and kissed Viktor’s cheek.

“No…I don’t.” Viktor said and looked at Yue with an indescribable look. Yue was going to retort more sternly but Viktor cut him off with a kiss.

They just kissed for a while, neither of them went any farther than that, they just hugged and cuddled up together.

Viktor cupped Yue’s face and kissed his eyelids.

“We’ll fix things. And We’ll have a beautiful wedding. Just like this one.” 

Yue was overjoyed by those words, they gave him hope and reassured him that Viktor wasn’t going to run off forever.

Yue nodded and smiled, kissing Viktor and then kissing the engagement ring on his hand.

He got off Viktor’s lap and dragged him along to the bed so they could lie in each other’s embrace comfortably.

Yue was tempted to tease Viktor and tell him not to run away this time, but Viktor was hugging him so tightly, and Stroking his hair so lovingly that he didn’t even want to bring up the bad memory. He just wanted to stay in his embrace forever this time.

—