So I just saw this picture of a fantasy magical market and thought... what if Shen Wei was a wizzard and Zhao Yunlan a captain... hmm... of the Griffin Riders' Squad! And how to mix Western fantasy with Eastern? Muhaha, let's try!
Shen Wei was strolling through Harg-dam's market. The Capitol's wizzarding district's stalls had most of the things he might have needed and sometimes he was able to find some exquisite talismans, scrolls or new spells and potions. He stopped by a colourful stall full of various trinkets, some of which he recognised and some he'd never seen before. Curiously he picked one of the items up, trying to distinguish whether it has a use or if it's just a purposeless item. The cat-faced seller had been occupied discussing a price with a different customer, quite wildly blowing the proportions of the value of a simple lunoscope.
"A beautiful day with a beauty around," a low voice amusedly stated.
Shen Wei sighed, he knew exactly whose voice this was. The young half-elf turned around, his free long dark blue robes with purple lining made a circle with the turn, his long black hair following the same pattern, a bell hanged around his waist-band chimed - the token of his standing as the teaching assistant in the Capitol's Wizzard Academy.
"Captain Zhao, a good day to you, too," Shen Wei bowed his head to the young human in black uniform with three grey feathers on his chest, tight with red ribbon.
The short-haired captain smiled mischieviously, rubbing the beard on his chin. "I was just walking by..."
An obvious lie, Shen Wei thought, what would a military man do in this market of all places.
"...and then I happened to see you! What a coincidence, Shen Wei!" The captain walked closer to Shen Wei as other people needed to move by, hurrying to finish their errands.
The young teaching assistant made a face of I don't believe this for a second. "I thought, you and your Griffin-rider squad were supposed to return next week."
"Well, I thought of you and finished everything early," Zhao Yunlan smirked and took the odd trinket from Shen Wei's hands. "Want me to buy this for you?"
Shen Wei only turned away and started to walk towards other stalls uninterested.
The Captain quickly returned the object back to the merchant as the cat-like person started to mutter some annoyed noises under their whiskers.
Hurrying after the young wizzard the Captain kept pressing. "It will soon be lunch-time, what if you joined me for a meal in the Cloud district?"
"I don't think I have enough coin for the Cloud district's finese," Shen Wei bend down to smell some herbs, wrinkling his nose a bit as it wasn't to his liking.
The Captain could melt at the adorable gesture and so he decided not to get discouraged. "Of course, I will pay!"
"I could not accept such a generous offer, Captain Zhao." Shen Wei knew how to play this game. Both he and the Captain were in it for about two months already.
Zhao Yunlan tapped his index finger on the scabbard of his sword, thinking of another hook to bait the beautiful man on.
"You're right, the Cloud district is a long way from here..." he started again.
I did not say anything like that... Shen Wei thought, looking back at the Captain, frowning slightly at seeing a smirk.
"Then let's get tea at Madam Hishe's and then I was thinking of stopping by the dwarven Alchemy lab to get my Griffin some new protection potions..." His smirk grew even wider as he saw Shen Wei gulp at the mention of the famous laboratory, making potions for the Royal military. "Would you like to accompany me?"
"W-well... I happen to have the day free, so... I might as well... umm... tag along..." Shen Wei tried to force himself to be as casual about his wanting to see the laboratory as possible.
They both headed down the road through the busy packed street market, full with wizzards of all races. The Captain sometimes automatically tugged at Shen Wei's arm to pull him to a less crowded area as he was used to bodyguard-type jobs as well. The unconcious gesture was kind of to Shen Wei's liking but he would be damned if he'd acknowledge it to himself.
Upon reaching Madam Hishe's tea room at the end of Harg-dam's market route, they walked down a few steps into a cosy, candle lit stone-wall room under one of the houses, decorated with tons of ornamented tapestries and pillows. Quite empty at this time of day. They sat down on the pillows to one of the small tables, dirty with white wax, dripping down from the three uneven candles standing sort of in the middle.
A haggard-looking bend-over old human-maybe? woman appeared out of nowhere next to them, making Shen Wei jump a little. "Ahh... Captain Zhao... what will it be? I have new wine from Eastern borders..."
The Captain laughed nervously. "No alcohol today, Madam Hishe..." he saw the scrutinising look of the male in front of himself. "We will have two cups of spring Sakura-cha. My companion here is a Wizzard from the Academy, he doesn't drink."
"Oh! Sure, sure, sure..." the old woman went to fullfill the order.
"I'm sure you will love the tea, Shen Wei. It's a special blend, made from the spring pink leaves of the Capitol's sakura trees," he tried to quickly take Shen Wei's mind of the fact that he might come here often to drink something else besides tea.
Their tea arrived. Shen Wei took his bowl, watching the brightly pink leaves float, inhalling the slightly sweet flowery scent. His eyes shined a little with interest and he took a sip, holding the bowl with both hands elegantly.
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The Captain watched him, smiling, downing his tea in one go. The sight of the young wizzard was much sweeter than any tea Madam Hishe could have served him.
"Say, Shen Wei... the next moon, there will be the Military ball... Would you like to join me as my plus one?" he leaned over the table, trying an upward gaze, wanting to earn some more points.
Nervous from the sudden closeness of the handsome manly Captain, Shen Wei drew back a bit. "Why me...?" he mumbled, casting his gaze downwards.
"Why not you?" Zhao Yunlan straightened up again. "I fancy you, Shen Wei. With you, the ball would be perfect, in my opinion. Besides, you could also make some connections there..."
Shen Wei sighed. "Please, stop luring me in with priviledges and gifts... I heard, the Captain of the Griffin Squad has a lover in every sky haven, you can ask any of those."
"I will break up with all of them, if you agree to become my lover," Zhao Yunlan declared but soon he realized his biggest mistake. The young Wizzard threw a hurt look at him and got up, his bell chiming angrily.
"I believe that is a thing one does BEFORE asking someone to become their lover. Not AFTER," and Shen Wei stormed out of the tea room.
"Fuck..." the Captain cursed, sighing deeply. "Madam Hishe?! Please bring me a bottle of the wine you talked about! Wait, make it two!"
