"Very well, I concede!" Liu Mingyun announced, breathless as he looked up at Li Xinyuan, who had him pinned to the ground. Despite admitting defeat, the Crown Prince seemed entirely too pleased by himself and his position. "Now, release me, will you, my dear?"

Had it been a few months prior, maybe the surgeon would have started and let him go, but now he was partially immune to the Crown Prince’s sly flirtations. Thus, with merely a pink flush spreading on his cheeks, the surgeon released Liu Mingyun’s hands and rolled off of him.

Li Xinyuan lay on the dirt beside him, breathing heavily, eyes tracing the clouds drifting in the indigo of the sky.

"I cautioned you." Preemptively, the surgeon spoke, before Liu Mingyun had an opportunity to even utter a single word, much less an accusation. "You may have healed, My Liege, but it does not make you fit for combat just yet."

More than that, even if Li Xinyuan acknowledged they lived in a fantastical world, he refused to believe an injury grievous as the Crown Prince’s had been would be healed so wholly, and so soon.

When he received no response from the man, Li Xinyuan turned to look at him, golden eyes seeking him quietly.

He saw Liu Mingyun gaze at him, unblinking.

The surgeon’s breath hitched in his lungs, lips parting slightly, he called again. "Your Highness?"

Liu Mingyun merely raised an elegant brow, letting out a quiet noise. "Hm?"

"You’re staring."

"I am quite aware." The Crown Prince’s lips curled, shame a far cry from his face. "Is something the matter, Xin’er?"

"Impertinent." Li Xinyuan huffed, pushing himself off the ground. Dusting off his robes to rid them of dirt and soil clinging tight, the surgeon jumped to his feet, stretching till the knots in his body eased. "Let us go back in now."

The surgeon gestured towards the tall building of the clinic. Turning to look over his shoulder, he raised an eyebrow, waiting for the Crown Prince to move.

Liu Mingyun watched him, persistently silent, from where he lay on the dirt, body pleasantly sore from the sparring just a few moments prior. His lips curled, a thoughtful expression painting itself on his handsome visage. Slowly, carefully, his crimson eyes roved down Li Xinyuan’s back, the robust muscles — usually hidden under his flowing robes — apparent, now more than ever.

It was a good look on him. Very... Distracting.

"Your Highness?" Li Xinyuan turned around, exasperation making itself known on his face. Arms crossed, he stepped closer, bending forward to hold out a hand for the Crown Prince to take. "Get up," he intoned wearily. "It is time we return."

Liu Mingyun nodded, eyes dropping to observe at the calloused hand of his betrothed. These callouses were not too many, just suffice to suggest he trained often enough.

"Where has Xin’er learnt to fight like this?" His eyes flicked up, eyelids drooping somewhat, a contemplative light flashed in his eyes. "The movements, though familiar, are quite... Uncanny, if you will."

There was something about the way Li Xinyuan fought that did not sit right with him. No matter how one moved, in one way or the other they ought to have made some movements that were either inefficient or wasted at least a little energy.

Yet, with Li Xinyuan, it did not seem to be the case. How and whichever way he moved, he was efficient.

So much so, he was able to defeat Liu Mingyun, a simple spar or not, this was in and of itself a great thing to achieve. Despite his recovering injuries, the Crown Prince was hardly someone to be taken lightly, and to defeat him? 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

Uncanny indeed.

For a brief second, the surgeon’s expression froze, mind halting for less than that. Did Liu Mingyun suspect something?

Even if it was fleeting, for a single glance, the Crown Prince saw something cold and sharp flash through his betrothed’s golden eyes. For that moment alone, the surgeon’s body turned rigid, his muscles tensing, as if he was preparing himself for a fight again.

Murderous even.

However, it was gone as swiftly as it appeared, leaving the Crown Prince to wonder if he was mistaken.

Li Xinyuan blinked slowly, making a show of processing Liu Mingyun’s question.

"Whatever do you mean, Your Highness?" He asked, voice mellow, innocent even. His fingers curled inwards, but before he could take his hand back, Liu Mingyun slipped his own into Li Xinyuan’s.

Smiling meaningfully for a brief moment, Liu Mingyun grinned softly, pulling himself up with the surgeon’s help.

"You know my meaning well," drawing close, he whispered into the surgeon’s ear, the warm breath caressing his skin tenderly. Li Xinyuan blinked again, eyes twitching as he sucked in a deep breath at the sudden proximity. "I am quite certain."

Don’t engage, he told himself, heart thundering in his chest, both from Liu Mingyun’s closeness as well as the moment of suspicion.

Once the Crown Prince was a few paces away from him, making for the clinic, Li Xinyuan’s eyes fluttered shut, eyelids twitching. His hands, clenched tightly by his sides loosened a fraction, the one Liu Mingyun had taken tingled, the sensation as pleasant as it was searing.

What had sparked such sudden suspicion in his betrothed?

Tilting his head down, Li Xinyuan looked at his calloused palms, eyes hooded. Was it really due to the way he fought? Or had something else given him away? The surgeon’s mind ran in circles, replaying their interaction in an effort to unveil the mystery of his nearly blown cover.

After a while, as the looming shadows of migraine came over him, Li Xinyuan finally stopped thinking more of it. He simply tossed the thoughts and questions to the back of his mind, stowing it away for yet another sleepless night passed.

Swiftly, the surgeon turned on his heels, schooling his expression as he sprinted to keep pace by the man’s side. His strides were really far too vigorous for a youth in recovery.

"Your Highness! Wait for me."

As soon as the surgeon uttered those words, the Crown Prince halted, hands folded behind his back. Head canted to the side and crimson eyes gleaming under the sunlight, Liu Mingyun waited for Li Xinyuan to reach him.

"Do not walk so fast," frowning, the surgeon chided, lips pulled down slightly, "Your Highness is recovering still."

Liu Mingyun chuckled, silently taking the well-intentioned scolding as he nodded slowly and repeatedly. "Yes, Xin’er, you are right. I ought to be more careful indeed."

Li Xinyuan paused, his golden eyes narrowing with scepticism. Why was Liu Mingyun being so agreeable all of a sudden?

"If Your Highness wants something from me—" he will not be getting anything.

That is what he would have said, however —

Liu Mingyun cut him off before he could finish speaking by leaning in. In a second, the Crown Prince closed the distance between himself and the surgeon and pressed a soft kiss on his lips, his own moulding perfectly against Li Xinyuan’s.

The surgeon’s eyes widened, in stunned silence filled with the sound of nature around them, he kissed back, eyes slipping shut.

The kiss was not deep. It never was, as if Liu Mingyun was careful to simply toe the line between wants and propriety but never quite cross it just yet.

Once the Crown Prince pulled away, his lips flushed pink and eyes drooped to look down at Li Xinyuan, the latter took a moment to gather himself and licked his lips.

"What was this for?"

Liu Mingyun smirked teasingly, leaned down ever so slightly, looked Li Xinyuan in the eyes and drawled.

"This Prince wanted to." The words dripped with faux arrogance.

And with that, the Crown Prince sprinted ahead of his betrothed, quick to create some distance, all while laughing freely.

"Your Highness!" Li Xinyuan shook his head and smiled before chasing after him. "I warned you against running!"