Fanghua curses angrily to himself as he heaves the final bucket of hot water into the bath. The bucket clutters against the ground as he launches himself to the floor, out of breath. Fanghua stares up at the ceiling, his dislike for Zhihuan only going stronger. His muscles were on fire, his face sweaty. To think he was stuck in the palace as a maid, filling the crown prince's bath for his birthday. What had he done to deserve such a fate?
Zhihuan looks at Fanghua's body sprawled across the floor. His life at the palace had always been so repetitive, so boring. To think he was finally having some fun. A sudden thought enters his mind, and his smirk grows wider.
"Get up and come here." Zhihuan's cold voice floats over to Fanghua who wanted to cry out in frustration. What did he want now? Grumbling under his breath, Fanghua heaves himself up from the floor and grudgingly walks towards Zhihuan.
Fanghua looks up at Zhihuan, his arms crossed as he waits for his next orders. Silence greets them, causing Fanghua to scowl.
"Well?"
"Well, hurry up," Zhihuan replies
"Hurry up with what exactly." Why could this man not give him a direct answer?
Zhihuan suddenly moves, stretching his arms out.
"Hurry up and undress me." He replies curtly.
Fanghua's mouth drops open in shock as he tries to form words, his mouth opening and closing like a fish.
"But you said before you did not need me to help you undress. Why are you suddenly changing your words?"
"Hmm, that's strange. If I recall correctly, I never refused but rather asked if you were stupid. Your duty then was to fill the bath. If you had undressed me then, I would have been standing naked for a very long time, what with the pace you took to fill the bath. I guess you would have liked that though, your a female after all." Zhihuan replies as he stares down at Fanghua whose expression was getting more flabbergasted with each word he said.
"L-liked?" Fanghua splutters out in shock. "You must be absolutely crazy to say such a thing. Take that back before I, I puke! Want to see you naked? Hah, I would rather gouge my eyes out." Fanghua yells, pointing to his eyes. Zhihuan stiffens as he hears Fanghua's words. Throughout his life he had been praised on his good looks, both from females and males. To hear that someone would puke and gouge his eyes out as a reaction to seeing his body. His eyes narrow as he makes his way towards Fanghua.
Fanghua sees this look and wanted to vanish that very second. He had done it again. His stupid, blabbermouth.
"I'm sorry. Please. I take it back." Fanghua cries out as he places his hands out in front, pleading for forgiveness. He squeezes his eyes shut, his arms stretched out in front of him as a means of protection.
A few seconds go by and Fanghua hears the sound of water splashing. Slowly opening his eyes and turning around, Fanghua's eyes widen. The Crown Prince had already undressed and entered the bath, already waist-deep in the murky scented water.
Fanghua quickly turns around before he could get a clear look, breathing a sigh of relief. Thank Pangu he did not have to undress a man on his 19th birthday too.
"Hurry up and place the rose petals into the water and then start massaging my back," Zhihuan calls over. Fanghua this time around did not say anything, worried he might get killed or worse, and went over to the basket of rose petals. Squinting his eyes so he could barely see, he makes his way to the edge of the bath before he begins to throw the rose petals into the fragrant water.
Zhihuan observes him, his lips slightly turning upward to form a smile before it was gone, as if it was never there in the first place. Making his way around, Fanghua breathes inwardly. You can do this Fanghua. It is just a massage. For a man. An asshole really. Who also happens to be the Crown Prince.
Opening his eyes, Fanghua is greeted with the back of Zhihuan. Fanghuas eyes widen as he brings his hand to his mouth, almost wanting to whistle in awe. Milky white skin glistens back at him, seeming even whiter due to the direct contrast of his raven black hair. His back was toned, yet lean, each time he slightly moved, his back muscles would contract. Why did it look like something out of a painting? Curse this human. Not only was his face handsome, just from seeing his back alone, Fanghua could tell he was also very fit.
Just when he was about to place his hands on his back, Fanghua suddenly remembers something and scrambles back. Hearing this commotion, Zhihuan turns his head slightly around to look at him, an eyebrow slightly raised.
"You. You, didn't you say touching the Crown Prince's is punishable by death. This is direct skin contact! You're not trying to trick me into making me commit another offense and punish me for it, are you?" Fanghua says, his eyes widening as his mouth forms an o. He clutches his arms against his chest. He had only just figured out he had some form of power, he was not ready to die before uncovering its secrets.
"If I really cared about such a rule, and all the other ones you've offended, you would already be a corpse right now. As Crown Prince, I am in charge of such rules and can change them when I wish. Right now I grant you permission to do so without any consequences so hurry up before I change my mind." Zhihuan icy voice replies before he turns his gaze away from Fanghua.
"You better keep your words," Fanghua scowls as he makes his way back to Zhihuan. Fanghua suddenly slaps his hands against Zhihuan's back, causing him to hiss and jerk forward from the coldness of Fanghua's hands. Before he could get a word out, Fanghua smiles and begins. No consequences ay? Then so be it.
Mustering all the strength he could muster, he presses down on Zhihuans broad shoulders, digging deep into the muscles, all in the effort of trying to get a reaction out of the Crown Prince. He massages Zhihuan's back as if he was kneading dough, beating it and rubbing circles with his knuckles, trying anything to get a reaction out of Zhihuan.
Zhihuan on the other hand simply closes his eyes and smiles. Two can play at this game. Minutes go by and Fanghua was running out of energy. What is this? How can the Crown Prince stand by and accept such massaging?
Looking at his back, Fanghua curses. What kind of back was this? He was human after all. It must be his pride, that's it. His ever so humongous pride was halting him from saying anything. Fanghua smirks to himself and was just about to start again when Zhihuan interrupts him.
"You call that a massage?"
Fanghua smirks as he removes his hands from Zhihuan's back. So he finally gives in has he. After all, not anyone can bear his massaging techniques when he gives it his all. Fanghua was just about to reply when he is cut off.
"I could barely feel a thing. It was as if a weak and old grandma was giving me a massage."
Fanghua stares down at Zhihuan's back, full of shock. Did he just say his massaging techniques were the same as an old grandma? Fanghua scoffs.
"Hah, I would like to see if you could do any better," Fanghua says with a smirk as he crosses his hand against his chest. A few seconds of silence go by before Zhihuan replies.
"Get down."
Fanghua's eyes widen as he feels his body chill. Why did he have a sudden bad feeling?
"What?" Fanghua replies.
"Get down," Zhihuan replies.
"What do you mean get down?" Fanghua says, wanting nothing more than to run out of the room.
"You said you would like to see if I could do any better. Well then, I will show you. So hurry up and get down here." Zhihuan says, pointing to the bath.
Fanghua's mouth drops open, an array of goosebumps covering his body. "I did not really mean that! I believe you so it is fine, really. Let me now scrub your back like you wanted. I will do it better," Fanghua says in a nervous voice.
"Oh please. It's okay. Let me do the honour of showing you what a massage from the Crown Prince is like. I'm not getting out of this bath so you better come down here now. I hate asking twice." Zhihuan says, turning his head towards Fanghua.
Fanghua feels the colour drain from his face as he sees the fake smile plastered on the Crown Prince's face. He was doomed, truly doomed. Did that mean he had to undress? No, no, no. If the Crown Prince realised he was a male fooling him all this time, he was truly done for.
"Please, reconsider. You are male and I am female. Only my husband can see such skin. It is not appropriate." Fanghua pleads, beads of sweat forming on his face. Please, please, please understand.
"Oh please, you think I would like to see your skin. Just like you, I would rather gauge my eyes out then see you without clothes. Your clothing is thin enough as it is, so just enter the bath." Zhihuan says with a scoff. Fanghua was just about to open his mouth again but quickly shuts it after seeing Zhihuan's stern face.
Praying to every god he could think of, Fanghua slowly makes his way to the opposite side of the bath and looks down. Murky fragrant water stares back at him, littered with rose petals. Checking the temperature of the water with his hands, Fanghua slowly lowers his body into the water. The water was quite deep, reaching just under his chest. Realising he had forgotten to put his hair back up after taking the hair pin out, Fanghua curses. A good portion of his hair was now wet, spiraling around him.
Finally looking up in front of him, Fanghua is greeted with the front of Zhihuan this time. There as if from a painting, lay the Crown Prince, Zhihuan. The murky water only reached just below his belly button, exposing everything above.
His toned muscles glistened from the water drops, only made more enticing by the dim candle lights. His black hair and braid behind his ear curve down around his body before disappearing into the murky water. His collarbone was visible and prominent. Making his way up, Fanghua locks eyes with Zhihuan, his piercing golden eyes staring straight back at him.
Fanghua tries not to make any expressions on his face as this time they were facing one another, but internally his mind was spitting out word afterword. He quickly looks down as he slowly makes his way towards the Prince. Just what kind of godly body was that? It was like it was personally sculpted by the finest artisans. And those eyes, so strikingly bold, like a dragon.
Fanghua stops one metre in front of Zhihuan, staring down at the water.
"Closer. Do you think I can reach you from there? I don't have magical arms that extend." Zhihuan replies curtly as Fanghua internally cries. He had already complained about having to fill a bath for his 19th birthday, but now he was sharing a bath with the Crown Prince on his birthday, most likely about to be tortured. Ahhhhh.
Slowly Fanghua shuffles forward a bit, trying not to run back. The water may be murky and he could not see through it, but in front of him right now was a naked Crown Prince. What had he done to deserve such a fate?
Zhihuan takes a few seconds to observe Fanghua, who was now only about a foot away from him before suddenly placing two fingers on Fanghuas shoulders. He did not even get a chance to press down before Fanghua suddenly screams and jumps, startled by the sudden contact. He trashes around in the water, trying to get away before he realises his body was still intact and there was no pain.
Fanghua breathes out in relief, trying to calm his heart that was beating incredibly fast. He looks up at Zhihuan, about to explain himself when the words get stuck in his throat. There in front of him was a furious Zhihuan, drenched in water, his hair completely soaked. Petals were stuck to his face and hair, one even covering his eye. Zhihuan's nostrils flare as he looks down at Fanghua before spitting out a petal.
Seeing this, even though his mind was screaming at him not too, Fanghua could not help himself. He begins to laugh, tears coming to his eyes as he hugs his stomach. He was truly in trouble this time.
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IMPORTANT A/N
Just wanted to announce that we are almost at 100k and I have a very special REWARD for you guys once we hit 100k. So please read, vote, spread this story etc as I can't wait to give the special reward for you guys once we hit 100k :). Anyone have a clue as to what it may be? If anyone can correctly guess what it is, I'll dedicate the chapter to them, once I figure out how on earth to do that.
Had writers block for quite a while. Was extremely hard to write this chapter but finally got through it. Hope you guys enjoyed it and thank you all for voting and especially commenting :) it motivates me to write even more.
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