Oh. My. Fate?! (BL, Volume 12, Part 2)

331 I Made You Wait

Jing He's gaze softened as he looked at his soon-to-be husband. This custom was one the dragons did not share with the gods. As a result, he hadn't been sure what to expect. His mother might have explained it to Qiu Ling but simply hearing about it once instead of growing up with this knowledge, still might have been different. But, obviously, he had worried too much. Just as usual, Qiu Ling solved everything perfectly, with nothing left to be desired.

The words he said touched upon everything they had encountered together and the big changes it had brought. He didn't feel like he could truly take credit for much of it. Instead, in his opinion, Qiu Ling had accomplished most of it on his own. But if this was the way Qiu Ling saw things, he wouldn't object either.

Jing He stepped closer, pulling his hands out of Qiu Ling's and instead wrapping his arms around his waist. At this moment, he wanted nothing more than to be close to him, to feel his warmth and share this intimate moment with nothing on the outside distracting from it.

Qiu Ling smiled at him and reached up, cupping his cheeks. "I suppose there is nothing else left for me to say, other than that I look forward to finally officially being your husband."

Jing He nodded. "I am looking forward to that day as well. I know ... it can't have been easy with me. To have to wait for me to fall in love with you, to realize my own feelings and admit to them as well, and then to wait again for my trial to come and pass ... All these years, you had to persist with little reassurance from my side.

"I ... am very glad that you did. You don't know just how much happiness you have brought me." He also reached up, his fingers brushing over Qiu Ling's cheek. He had often thought about their relationship over the years but he seldom dared to speak his thoughts out loud. Now, it was different though. This was the time to lay bare your heart and let the one you love know of all that it contained.

"I knew nothing of love when I met you. I ... had my dreams and my hopes but I actually never knew how it could be if it happened for real. When it did ... I didn't even realize at first. By the time I could put a name to it, that feeling already had me tightly in its grasp."

Qiu Ling smiled and had to force himself to stay quiet and wait. Still, this moment, words probably couldn't even express how much it meant to him. He had indeed waited for a long time and even though he had finally gained Jing He's agreement and the ceremony was imminent, that couldn't undo all the heartache of those early years. To have this acknowledged ... it meant more to him than he would have thought. Of course, even more impactful was hearing his beloved say sweet love words. Oh, he had definitely waited too long for that!

Jing He looked up at him, taking in Qiu Ling's gentle gaze resting on him. His heart inevitably fluttered. He felt self-conscious saying these things but ... this was his fiance. Why wouldn't he mention his feelings out loud?

"I am ... indecisive and ... most likely too timid. I know this well and I also know that you have had to suffer due to this. But because of this, I want you to know that all these years, you have given me strength. I might not always have made the best use of it but knowing that you are there, silently supporting me even when I couldn't do anything for you, has kept my heart calm in the worst of times and given me hope when I thought that there was no way out.

"I want to be yours more than anything else in life. I ... have for a while even if I did not dare to say it." He lowered his gaze, unable to look into Qiu Ling's eyes any longer. He even retracted his hand, hesitating for a moment before he reached out again and gently touched Qiu Ling's chest, feeling the strong heartbeat that was so familiar to him.

"In the future ... I will be at your side and follow your lead, supporting you in whatever way you need as long as you tell me. I ... can't do much. I lack your strength, your conviction, your experience, and wisdom. But I do love you and I will never stray from this path." He raised his head again, looking at Qiu Ling intently. "I will always love you. I hope you never doubt that."

Qiu Ling looked at him, feeling a faint heartache. This time, he couldn't hold back. He leaned in and kissed Jing He on the lips. "You are much better than you give yourself credit for, my love. After we have gotten married and you don't need to fear all the things that may go wrong, I will slowly show you."

Jing He smiled and nodded, even though he felt that Qiu Ling thought too much. Of course, he couldn't compare to him. This was only natural and nothing to be ashamed of. But, if this was what Qiu Ling thought, then just as he had said, he would not contradict him and would follow his words.

Qiu Ling knew his fiance well enough to wager a rough guess of what was going through his mind. He also knew better than to try and talk it out with him at such a moment. That alone wouldn't change Jing He's perception so he needed to uphold the conviction Jing He had just praised him for and believe that he could undo this slowly in the upcoming years.

Quietly reaffirming the promise he had made to himself before, he moved his hand and wrapped his arms around Jing He's waist, pulling him closer up against his chest. "The things you expect of me, I will do all of them. The things you don't expect but want or need, I will do them as well. I promise you this."

Jing He smiled and leaned forward, his cheek touching Qiu Ling's chest. This promise, he had never doubted it. Qiu Ling had always done whatever he could for him and he knew that after they were married, that would only be more the case and never less.