Jiao Ziyu closed his eyes and prayed for deliverance. At the same time though, he was undeniably curious. It wasn’t all that often that he got a chance to chat with a member of the upper echelons of the Demon Realm in such an informal setting – or any setting at all, for that matter. Then there was of course the fact that the other was at least part human, which was undeniably interesting.

So, against all sense of propriety, Jiao Ziyu decided to ask about it.

“My parents?” Youming Jun snorted. “Well, to my understanding, my human father died at the hands of my demon mother, and my demon mother at the hands of my demon uncle – Old Uncle Hongyan, that is – who took me in after that.”

So, a demoness of the Youming clan had seduced a human cultivator, killed him and then raised their mutual offspring until her own untimely death at the hands of her very own brother, likely as a result of internal strife. Then said uncle had allegedly raised his sister’s half-human offspring. Allegedly.

“Sounds like a complicated family.”

This comment earned him a mild shrug before the scion of said complicated family commented that what remained of it had since moved past malicious plots and assassination attempts and that his uncle rather approved of his nephew’s recent life decisions.

And just as Jiao Ziyu was about to ask more about the issue, the doors were pushed back open, revealing Bai Mingyue. The latter was wearing a quite thunderous expression as well, but somehow not his outermost robe.

“You,” Mingyue said, glaring at the person who was not Jiao Ziyu. “One day, I will end you.”

“Better not,” Youming Jun said, smiling with no small number of teeth. “We both know what happened last time around.”

Last time around?

“Also,” the half-demon continued. “In the offhand case that you did manage to kill me – which is unlikely – then I’m fairly certain that Yue would miss me. Right, honey?”

There was a huff from Yue, who had at this point reappeared with Mingyue’s outermost robe folded neatly over one arm. He neither confirmed nor denied it though, instead turning towards the Peak Lord still glaring daggers at his companion.

“Master Bai,” Yue said, offering up a bow. “Pay no heed to the demon bastard. His work is adequate, but one can ignore most of what comes out of his mouth.”

Chancing a glance at Youming Jun, Jiao Ziyu didn’t miss the look of mild dismay that crossed the other’s features. It was quickly gone though, replaced with the sort of bland smile worn only by the empty-headed and those secretly plotting another’s downfall.

“Yue,” Mingyue said at last, turning to face the youth in question. He said nothing further, but judging by his demeanour, he probably said a lot.

The youth seemed to understand though, a faint but evident smile on his face as he bowed his head once more and presented him with the robe. “Take care, Master Bai.”

And Mingyue huffed, taking it and putting it back on, securing it in place. Then, his hand was suddenly found atop Yue’s head, and then⸺ “This one is no longer your shīfu. Call me yìfù.”

Uh... what?

Jiao Ziyu blinked, wondering at which point he had started hallucinating. Because he obviously had to have started hallucinating at some point, because it had sounded an awful lot like Bai Mingyue had told the other to call him ‘adoptive father’. But was that something he’d really said or⸺?

“Hoh?” said Youming Jun. “Does this mean I have to start calling you father-in-law?”

Jiao Ziyu was treated to an expression that he had never before seen on Mingyue’s face – he wasn’t even sure how to describe it, or if there was even a need to. Instead, he simply averted his eyes, directing his thoughts to whatever came next.

It seemed as though they would be leaving soon – them and only them, it seemed. It would be a quiet return trip no doubt, because although Jiao Ziyu most certainly had questions, he entertained few notions that Mingyue would answer him.

Thinking this, Jiao Ziyu started gathering up their things, which didn’t really take all that long. Even so, he could sense Mingyue growing impatient and was just about to pull out and mount his sword when he suddenly found himself facing Little Yue.

“You should take care as well,” the other deadpanned, pressing a small gift into his palm before quickly turning on his heel, obviously headed for the indoors – and Youming Jun soon flanked him, although the masked Demon Prince did take a moment to linger and fire off a final impish grin Mingyue’s way before turning back around. In doing so, the other’s gaze briefly slid over Jiao Ziyu as well, and the Demon Prince tilted his head slightly to one side, evidently amused.

Frankly, something about the look the other shot him made Jiao Ziyu’s skin crawl. Thus, he wasted little more time meandering about, pulling out his spiritual blade and taking to the skies where Mingyue already awaited.

 

---

 

As predicted, the journey back proved a quiet one. It proved a quiet one, and it took a fair bit of time and a fair bit of flying before Jiao Ziyu finally mustered up the courage to chance another glance at his companion before quickly averting his eyes once again.

And upon closer inspection, Mingyue’s eyes did seem to be slightly red around the edges. Jiao Ziyu wisely opted not to comment on the fact, because if Mingyue had indeed been reduced to tears, then the best Jiao Ziyu could do was to pretend he didn’t see anything. Besides, he himself had other concerns, because now that they were on the way back, Jiao Ziyu suddenly recalled that he still owed the Sect Leader an explanation – and a somewhat overdue explanation at that.

The mere thought of it left him so utterly exhausted that he actually lost his balance there for a bit. Granted, it was just a momentary lapse in attention, and Jiao Ziyu would’ve almost certainly regained his equilibrium long before he ever stood any risk of crashing. But the arm around his waist and the slow but steady descent indicated that his companion thought otherwise.

“Ziyu,” Mingyue said, and it sounded kind of urgent. “Ziyu!”

“I’m fine,” Jiao Ziyu dutifully informed him once they were both back on solid ground. “Just... I need a moment.”

He tried to untangle himself and rather unsuccessfully at that, because Mingyue’s hand wouldn’t budge and then his other hand⸺ Ah.

“You’re burning up,” Mingyue said; a most astute observation.

“Your hands are cold,” Jiao Ziyu mumbled in turn.

“You’ve been dosed with something,” Mingyue concluded, and yeah, that made sense. “Was it the demon bastard?”

Jiao Ziyu tried to remember, but thinking proved surprisingly difficult. He did remember one thing though. “I remember... Little Yue gave me something... some small pouch?”

“And you just put it on your person rather than inside of your spatial ring?” Mingyue scoffed. “For being the spymaster of the Windward Sect, you’re dangerously naïve.”

Well, looking back, Jiao Ziyu wondered what had come over him for him to accept such a thing with nary a thought. But that had been Mingyue’s⸺ that had been Mingyue’s... something. That had been Mingyue’s⸺

“Sorry,” Jiao Ziyu chuckled weakly. “Let my guard down⸺”

And indeed, he had. That said though⸺ “How long do I have? Do I have time for a final meal?”

He probably didn’t, because a renewed bout of dizziness struck him with full force, leaving him not so much standing as slumped against Mingyue’s side.

To think that he would ultimately die in the arms of his dear old friend while getting cussed out for his own carelessness? It certainly wasn’t the way he had expected to go, but it also didn’t seem like such a bad way to go, honestly.

“You’re not going to die,” Mingyue intoned. He sounded genuinely exasperated as well, so he was probably telling the truth, because he wasn’t the sort to lie sweetly to the dying simply to ease the terror of it all. He was also holding up the pouch and glaring at it as though it – or perhaps the giver – had personally offended him.

How did he get it though? Jiao Ziyu was pretty sure he’d put it in his⸺

Well, in any case⸺ “Oh, that’s good then,” was all that he managed before everything went dark.

 

---

 

Behind closed doors, Yue lies curled up on the floor, struggling to control his breathing, and beside him lies a small bottle, empty.

The Demon Bastard is there as well, hovering, wearing not one mask but two.

“...Not working,” Yue mumbles, curling into himself. “Why isn’t⸺ why isn’t the antidote working?”

“Well,” the Demon Bastard says, voice muffled by the cloth. “Maybe you screwed up?”

“I didn’t!”

“Sure,” the Demon Bastard says. “But for some reason, it’s not working.”

“Did you mess with it?!”

“Why ever would I do that?”

Yue sends him decidedly heated glare, and it makes him smile.

“Yue,” the Demon Bastard says. “This time around, I’m perfectly innocent.”

“I don’t believe you.”

“Well,” the other says. “If you won’t trust my sincerity, then maybe I should drop you off with your beloved Master Bai?”

No.

“I’d rather die.”

“I know,” the Demon Bastards says. “But that’s not allowed.”

“Why not? Kill me.”

“Yeah, no, we’ve been over this, Yue,” Youming Jun says. “Not allowed.”

“Bastard,” Yue spits. “You⸺”

“I’m not responsible, not for this. Trust me.”

“Why the Hell should I?!”

“Well⸺” The Demon Bastard’s hidden smile widens, and he raises his index. “Out of the two of us, who drugged who with an aphrodisiac?”

That⸺ “That was an accident! I pulled you out of a bloody river and this is how you repay me?!”

“Yes,” the Demon Bastard says, completely unfazed by Yue grabbing him by the lapels. “This is how I repay you. The question is, will you accept my help or not?”

No⸺ “Don’t you dare touch me.”

The Demon Bastard chuckles. “Who’s touching who at the moment?”

Yue lets go immediately, then just sits there, panting.

It’s hot. It’s too hot.

His body is feverish, aching, yearning, and that damned antidote – bitter taste still on his tongue – is doing nothing, absolutely nothing.

It’s doing nothing, and the hands suddenly cradling his face do little to improve it. Yue moves to swat them away, but they won’t budge, and so he grasps the other’s wrists instead, digging his nails into skin as he stares wide-eyed into the other’s suddenly unmasked face.

“It’s okay,” Youming Jun coos, wiping away... tears? “It’ll be fine. Trust me.”

Trust? Hah. “Don’t bring me back there. I’d rather die.”

“I know,” Youming Jun says, leaning in. “I won’t. I want to help you.”

Hah. “Then help me,” Yue says, letting go. “I need an ice bath.”

“Would probably be better with a hot one,” Youming Jun says. “Additional heat would make it burn through your system quicker.”

Yeah, no. “Ice bath. I need to clear my head. If it doesn’t work, we’ll try your idea.”

“Sure.”

“And only that one. None of the others.”

“I didn’t say anything.”

Hah. “You were thinking it.”

“I wasn’t. Master Bai aside, my uncle would kill me.”

Didn’t he⸺ “Didn’t he already try to do that?”

“Actually, that was a misunderstanding.”

“Huh?”

“Yeah, not important. We’ll talk about it later.”