His emerald eyes widened and that empty pit in his stomach now had howling monsters that were twisting and reaching for him. Pulling his hands away and he made to stand up, but Wang Li grabbed his wrist. He shook the hand off him and made to stand up once more. He couldn't see too well from the tears in his eyes, but he knew his friend was reaching for him again. Swiping those hands away from him, he pushed himself up stumbling backwards only to fall with weight on top of him.

Groaning quietly, he felt fingers wiped one side of his face, streaking the tears as they went.

"I don't mean to make you cry, Ying Yue."

"I know," the blonde whispered and tried to offer a smile that wasn't there.

Turning his head away, he closed his green eyes and breathed in the rejection. He knew, somewhere in the back of his mind that Wang Li wouldn't want to be his brother. He was not part of royalty, he did not have money, he did not have a true name like the raven-haired boy. He was just a boy who was going to be bound to the will of the Heavens, living a life of bounded loyalty and fidelity.

"If I were to be your brother," he heard his friend say softly, "Then I would need to leave the palace, this village."

He turned to face those moonlit eyes.

"I've never left this village, Ah Yue. I cannot leave."

Green eyes searched the face above him and saw the sadness in those eyes. He didn't understand why his friend was unable to leave.

"Did someone curse you to stay here? My master can break it, I am sure of it."

"You really wish for me to be your family, Ying Yue?"

"Yes."

"Okay, Ah Yue. Let me try to leave with you. Maybe with you with me, I can leave."

Ying Yue grinned as wide as he felt with such joy surrounding his heart. Wang Li wanted to be part of his family! He wanted to join him, but something was keeping him in this village. If it was a curse, he was going to tell his master to help. His master was kind and would find a way, he was sure of it.

Both sat up and the blonde felt his skin shivered when the touch of bare fingers slipped through his robe. Those fingers were soft and warm on his chest, making his cheeks reddened. He saw Wang Li pulled away quickly, as if he was burnt from his flaming skin.

"My apologies," the raven-haired teen looked away from him with redness against his cheeks.

"It's… alright," the blonde tightened his robe and pulled the red one closer to his body, "Should we… should we try now?"

Both stood up and headed out of the village to the road Ying Yue normally took to go home. It was quiet on their walk. He would glance at Wang Li and when their eyes met, they would turn quickly away with the tip of their ears warmed.

'It felt…' the blonde started thinking, but his face would flush deeply whenever he tried to finish that sentence. His hands over the place where soft fingers touched, he found himself smiling before worrying and back to smiling.

Lost in thought, he didn't realize Wang Li had stopped walking until he found the courage to look over. Seeing that his friend wasn't beside him, he quickly turned around to see the raven-haired teen clutching his chest on his knees. Running back down the hill, he rushed to kneel beside his friend.

"Are you alright? How can I help?"

Wang Li opened his mouth to say something, all that came out was coughs of blood. Ying Yue's eyes widened in fear and worry as he tried to help Wang Li.

"This is all my fault. I am so sorry."

He cried pulling his friend backwards until the silver eyed teen felt better. Back at the lake once more, he took out the red handkerchief with the golden plum blossom from his sleeve and wiped the excess blood from thin lips.

"I'm so sorry."

He cried tucking his head against the curve of Wang Li's neck and wrapped his arms tightly around the waist. He was so scared that his friend was… He could have died! All because he was selfish and wanted his friend to be his brother and to stay with him.

'So stupid. So stupid!'

He felt his friend, his good kind friend, placed a hand to his head and the other on his back. Fingers ran through his hair and a warm palm slid up and down his back comfortingly. He wasn't sure how long they stayed that way, but he wasn't ready to pull away when Wang Li said he needed to return to his home.

"Thank you, Ah Yue," fingers wiped away his tears, "For wanting me to be a part of your family."

He felt the kiss to his forehead and his green eyes widened as his cheeks and ears flushed pink. When he finally made it home, his master was the only one up. He saw him sitting outside of the cabin with a tea in hand, as a lit lantern sat beside the elder. Eyes welling up with tears once more, he rushed to his elder and grabbed him into a hug.

"Ying Yue," The calm voice soothed his fear, "What had happened for you to return so late and in tears? Did your friend do something?"

He shook his head against his master before pulling back and wiping his tears with sleeves.

"I hurt him. I was selfish and I… he was coughing blood and I was so scared… It was my fault. I don't deserve him. I shouldn't be his friend anymore. I will only… I don't want to…"

The elder shushed him softly and placed a hand on his head.

"How did you hurt him?"

"He said he couldn't leave the village, but I insisted and he… he said okay because of me. Now he's hurt."

"Is he cursed?" The elder questioned pulling back and running his hand down his beard.

"He didn't say… I don't… I don't want to do that to him again. I don't want him to be hurt. I just thought he could be part of our family. He can be my brother and he doesn't have to be lonely anymore," Ying Yue pulled his knees to his chest, "I just want him to be happy."

The elder watched the child and a smile was stretched on his face. Heaven chose the right person to uphold the mission for balance. A kind and gentle soul the young blonde was and he, as the master, felt honored to watch it all come to fruition.

"Has he ever told you he was not happy with you?" He questioned the child to see those emerald eyes stare at him. When he saw the blonde shake his head, he continued, "You care for him deeply, child, and I know he does for you as well."

"How? How would you know, master? How do you know he cares for me too?"

He let out a quiet laugh seeing the curiosity and a spark of hope in those big green eyes.

"That is his robe, is it not?"

Ying Yue looked to see that he still had the red robe of his friend's and he felt his cheeks flushed slightly. Wrapping it around him tighter, he looked innocently at his master who tapped his head with his fan.

"Many things take time, Ying Yue," His master went to pick up his tea, "Return his robe to him tomorrow. If he no longer wishes to see you, then thank him for the times you've shared together."

"I understand, master," the blonde nodded and thought about tomorrow. 

'Wang Li… if you no longer wish to be my friend… I am happy we met,' he tried to convince himself of this, but there was another part that never wanted to say those words.