heaven officials blessing: Long ai edited

two boys need rest. 18

"speaking of which... San Lang, your gambling skill is quite something." I smirked at Honger with a knowing gaze. He didn't look my way since my brother was talking to him. "In comparison, I..."

"It's just good luck." Honger said it with a laid-back voice. He had his eyes closed as he held the cup of tea. "But I do have a shortcut... that can guarantee you victory every time, Gege."

"Eh?" my brother questioned.

"here." Honger had his hand outstretched. "Give me your hand."

brother reached out his hand and placed it in Hongers. He gave his brother's hand a gentle squeeze. Honger placed some dice on the table with a clatter.

"wanna try?" Honger asked as he gestured to the dice. brother looked from Honger to the dice set on the table. He reached his hands to the dice to roll them and test the luck Honger just gave him. With a single toss of the dice, the flower sword rolled two sixes.

"It's the result I imagined," my brother observed. I smirked and finished my cup of wine. "It turns out luck can be borrowed, just like mana."

"If Gege wants to bet against anyone next time," Honger gave a fox-like smile as he raised his cup. "Come and find me. I'll lend you as much luck as you want."

And like that, everyone enjoyed their food while I ate and watched my older brother be admired by the ghost king, who would literally crush his ashes for him. I enjoyed every bite while keeping an eye on Kiyoshi and Lang Ying. Zuko nudged my arm. I looked back at him, and he made a puppy eye. I dug in my pocket and plopped down a handful of mochi. Zuko always loved the mochi I made. I looked back at my brother, who was pinching the bridge of his nose. It looks like it's time to get some rest.

"Honger, where is Lang Ying staying tonight?" I asked.

"I can send him some underlings," he said, half listening. "Gege, you and Jie Jie should rest too."

"Then please, San Lang," his brother said, pushing his chair back with ease. Before he left the table, Lang Ying grabbed his sleeve. A poor kid must be nervous.

"Hey," I say to him. He looks at me with a nervous face. "it's okay. Brother will come back for you before we have to leave. You can get cleaned up in the meantime. I can walk you to your room too."

He looked between my brother and me before hesitantly letting go. I stood with A-song and Kiyoshi. brother gave Lang Ying a pat on the head. I held my hand out to Lang Ying. He looked from my hand to my eyes. He eventually took it.

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I walked with Lang Ying to his room. As it turns out, Kiyoshi would be staying in the same room. They had twin beds. I took Lang Ying to the bathing area. I prepared his bath and stepped out to allow him time to get cleaned up. Meanwhile, A-song already had Kiyoshi set in bed. wiping hair from his face and kissing his forehead.

"I hope you aren't giving him more attention than me." i joked. A-song looked back at me and smiled.

"That would be impossible, A-Mei." She stood and walked to me. I reached my hands out and took hers. I pulled her closer and gave her our first kiss in thirty years. She wrapped her arms around my waist while I held her shoulders. We separated enough to connect our foreheads. "I have missed this with you, A-Mei."

"I have too, my love," I responded. I heard the door shift behind me. I turned my head to look back, and Lang Ying was cleaned and dressed in new clothes. He didn't have his bandages on. I saw red splotches covering his face instead of the small mounds forming faces. he must have cut them off after mount Yu Jun.

"Come on, Lang Ying." I said, A-song, let one arm slide off my waist. Lang Ying walked around us and slipped into the unoccupied bed. I held A-song's hand before kneeling beside Lang Ying. I brushed away the hair on his face. He was a handsome young man, looking past the red marks. "Would you like a song as you sleep?"

Lang Ying nodded. I smiled at him. and began to sing to him.

"Oh, it's alright, Oh." He widened his eyes for a moment before settling into the bedding. "Oh, hey, I had a night; I had a day; I did one million stupid things; I said one billion foolish things; I'm not okay. I have a baseball bat beside my bed. To fight off what's inside my head, to fight off what's behind my meds, I'm lonely, lost in pain."

"It's alright, it's okay, it's alright, it's okay, You're not a monster, just a human, and you made a few mistakes." He looked at me. Maybe he's trying to find something we can both relate to. "It's alright, it's okay, it's alright, it's okay. You're not gruesome; you're just human, and you made a few mistakes. It's alright, oh. It's okay, oh. Goddamn. I threw a brick right through the window. For the rest of my life, I ignored the signals. I am high and drunk on ego. I can't see straight. So I just feel my way around man; I am touching, I am grabbing. Everything I can't have, I am broken down in shame."

"It's alright, it's okay, it's alright, it's okay, You're not a demon; there's a reason. You're behaving that way. It's alright, it's okay, it's alright, it's okay. And I believe, yes, I believe, that you will see a better day. It's alright. Oh, it's okay, oh." I lifted my hand and petted his head. "It's alright, oh. I don't want to know who I am. 'Cause heaven only knows what I find. I don't want people to know I'm not capable of coming out alive. I don't want to see what's inside. I think that I would rather be blind; I don't want to know that I'm not capable; I'm capable; I'm alright; I'm okay; I'm alright; I'm okay; I'm not a monster; I'm a human. And I made a few mistakes. I'm alright, I'm okay, I'm alright, I'm okay, I'm not gruesome, just human. And I made a few. It's alright, it's okay, it's alright, it's okay. You're not a demon; there's a reason. You're behaving that way. It's alright, it's okay, it's alright, it's okay, And I believe, yes, I believe, that you will see a better day. It's alright, oh, It's okay, oh. It's alright, oh, And I believe, yes, I believe, that you will see a better day. It's alright."

Lang Ying was fast asleep. I stood up and took A-song's hand before silently leaving. glancing back to make sure that both boys were asleep.