Capturing My Demon King Costar

MY COSTAR FINDS HIS WAY BACK TO ME

Yao Shen's conscience returns in stages. He's first aware of the thick scent of incense, and then of silk slipping across his body.

When he opens his eyes, Xin Hulei is staring at him from across a silk-upholstered divan. His eyes filled with warmth.

"It's you," he says, running his finger over Yao Shen's cheek.

Yao Shen sucks on a breath and holds his palm to his cheek, nuzzling it. "It's so good to hear your voice again, you have no idea."

Xin Hulei smiles sadly. "I feel like I've been underwater for a long time."

"You've been asleep, for months now," Yao Shen says, his chest constricting painfully.. "Gao Wu got hold of  you and Jincan and Heimao somehow."

Xin Hulei's sharp brows knit minutely before smoothing out. "Yes, I remember, I got home and didn't find Heimao or Jincan anywhere, just the place ransacked. Not long after I got a text from an anonymous number telling me to go to a specific address." The dent between his eyebrows deepens again. "It's all murky after that."

Yao Shen fills in the blanks for him, telling him about what happened when he and Tan Liansi got to the temple.

Xin Hulei listens to everything in silence, and only lets out a bitter sigh. "All of this is my fault."

Yao Shen turns his face towards his hand and kisses the inside of his palm. "Mine too, then."

Xin Hulei lets out an amused chuckle. "Not really, it wasn't your fault when you were the Crown Prince, and it certainly isn't your fault now."

He shrugs. "It's too heavy a burden for you to carry on your own." He scoots closer across the short distance between them and drops a soft kiss on Xin Hulei's lips. "Let me help you."

Xin Hulei doesn't say anything and just throws one arm across Yao Shen's waist, pulling him closer against the small distance.

They stay like that for a moment, just breathing each other in. Yao Shen is so relieved to have him back, even inside a dream, that he can't stop smiling.

It takes him some time to become fully aware of just where they are.

The cloying incense and the abundance of silk should have been enough for him to recognise the Fragrant Peony, but he's so wrapped up in Xin Hulei that it takes him a moment.

When he takes in his surroundings fully the corners of his lips turn downward. "Why here?"

Xin Hulei supports himself on his elbow, looking around at the room almost cursorily. "I often dream of this place. Maybe it's because this was the last place I was before everything was ruined. Perhaps it's because my memories are so jumbled afterwards."

He shrugs. "I guess I keep trying to make sense of it."

Yao Shen forces himself to nod. Relieved at Xin Hulei's explanation, and reminding himself that being jealous of himself is not only pointless but extremely idiotic.

Moreover, he can understand where Xin Hulei is coming from. Getting answers is like lancing a festering wound, at first painful and then healing.

He stretches out his legs and sits up on the divan with a groan. Even though he's in a dream he feels as if he's the one who's been asleep for ages.

"Let's go," he says, extending his hand to towards Xin Hulei. "It's time you wake up."

Xin Hulei takes his hand and gets up from the divan as well. They're both wearing flimsy silk robes, Yao Shen's red, and Xin Hulei's black with gold brocade.