Read Online Song of the Spring Moon Waning by E. E. Ottoman - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: E. E. Ottoman
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tear his eyes away.
Liu Yi reached for the teapot, pouring them both tea, and Wen Yu made himself look down and scoop one of the sweet little dumplings into a smaller bowl. He served Liu Yi too, passing the bowl to him and taking the cup of tea Liu Yi offered.
"Thank you," Wen Yu said when his tangyuan was eaten and tea drunk. "It was delicious."
"I'm glad." Liu Yi reached his hand out across the table, letting his fingers touch the back of Wen Yu's hand, and Wen Yu did not pull away.
Liu Yi hesitated for a moment, then set aside his cup and crawled around the table to kneel next to Wen Yu. Wen Yu watched as Liu Yi leaned in close. Twice now he'd thought Liu Yi was about to kiss him and been wrong, so when Liu Yi's lips pressed against his own, it took Wen Yu completely by surprise. Liu Yi's lips were soft and plump, and they tasted of ginger, tea, and sweetness. Wen Yu's eyes slid shut and he leaned in, his own lips pressing more forcefully against Liu Yi's, chasing that taste. Liu Yi let out a small noise and pushed himself close, lips growing bolder and more insistent.
"I'm sorry." Wen Yu finally pulled himself away, scooting back before standing to make sure he didn't give into temptation again. "I'm so sorry. I can't … I just can't."
"Why?" Liu Yi still knelt on the floor, robes pooled around him, hair falling like a curtain around his shoulders.
"I just can't." Wen Yu shook his head, feeling truly miserable, because never in his life had he wanted something more than he wanted to continue to kissing.
"I want you," Liu Yi said plainly. "You are the handsomest man I have ever met. I thought so the first time I saw you, with such fine, strange features. And so brilliant, too. It's a miracle you're not married."
From where he stood, Wen Yu watched his features cloud.
"But you don't want me." Liu Yi said it not as a question, but as a sudden realization. "It's because I am cut, isn't it?" Liu Yi seemed to crumple in on himself at that, head lowering and arms pulling inward to wrap tight around his chest.
"No." Wen Yu knelt on the floor again. "I think you're lovely." He reached to touch his face, running his fingers along one fine-boned cheek, and Liu Yi finally raised his head enough to meet Wen Yu's eyes. "It's not you." He moved closer, barely realizing what he was doing. Liu Yi was warm under Wen Yu's hand, his body radiating heat. Wen Yu wanted to press against him, taste those sweet lips, and know what Liu Yi looked like under those layers of fine silk. "You are so lovely," he said again, only half aware that they were so close to kissing that he could feel Liu Yi's breath against his lips. He jerked away, then moved back from Liu Yi so he would not be tempted again.
"I can't."
"You keep saying that, but you won't tell me why." Liu Yi grabbed Wen Yu's sleeve before he could move further away.
"My family's honor, my future, everything rests on this." The full weight of what he was going to do, walk away from Liu Yi—possibly forever—and never know what Liu Yi looked like bare, what he sounded like in passion, never see his sweet smiles again, slammed into Wen Yu.
Liu Yi didn't let go of his sleeve. "Please ..."
Fear mixed with the faintest glimmer of hope gripped Wen Yu. He wanted to tell Liu Yi, he realized. He wanted to say it aloud and discover that it changed nothing. At the same time, he was terrified it would change everything, that his future and his happiness would come crashing down. Would Liu Yi look at him differently, would he hate him?
Wen Yu knelt next to Liu Yi. "Swear to me," he said. "Swear to me on your family's honor, on your loyalty to the emperor, that you'll never tell anyone this."
Liu Yi stared at him, eyes going wide, but he nodded. "I …" He licked his lips. "I swear."
Wen Yu sucked in a long breath, then started talking. "My father never made it past the local examination, but it was his dream that one day his son would pass the examination at the Imperial Palace. His
Liu Yi reached for the teapot, pouring them both tea, and Wen Yu made himself look down and scoop one of the sweet little dumplings into a smaller bowl. He served Liu Yi too, passing the bowl to him and taking the cup of tea Liu Yi offered.
"Thank you," Wen Yu said when his tangyuan was eaten and tea drunk. "It was delicious."
"I'm glad." Liu Yi reached his hand out across the table, letting his fingers touch the back of Wen Yu's hand, and Wen Yu did not pull away.
Liu Yi hesitated for a moment, then set aside his cup and crawled around the table to kneel next to Wen Yu. Wen Yu watched as Liu Yi leaned in close. Twice now he'd thought Liu Yi was about to kiss him and been wrong, so when Liu Yi's lips pressed against his own, it took Wen Yu completely by surprise. Liu Yi's lips were soft and plump, and they tasted of ginger, tea, and sweetness. Wen Yu's eyes slid shut and he leaned in, his own lips pressing more forcefully against Liu Yi's, chasing that taste. Liu Yi let out a small noise and pushed himself close, lips growing bolder and more insistent.
"I'm sorry." Wen Yu finally pulled himself away, scooting back before standing to make sure he didn't give into temptation again. "I'm so sorry. I can't … I just can't."
"Why?" Liu Yi still knelt on the floor, robes pooled around him, hair falling like a curtain around his shoulders.
"I just can't." Wen Yu shook his head, feeling truly miserable, because never in his life had he wanted something more than he wanted to continue to kissing.
"I want you," Liu Yi said plainly. "You are the handsomest man I have ever met. I thought so the first time I saw you, with such fine, strange features. And so brilliant, too. It's a miracle you're not married."
From where he stood, Wen Yu watched his features cloud.
"But you don't want me." Liu Yi said it not as a question, but as a sudden realization. "It's because I am cut, isn't it?" Liu Yi seemed to crumple in on himself at that, head lowering and arms pulling inward to wrap tight around his chest.
"No." Wen Yu knelt on the floor again. "I think you're lovely." He reached to touch his face, running his fingers along one fine-boned cheek, and Liu Yi finally raised his head enough to meet Wen Yu's eyes. "It's not you." He moved closer, barely realizing what he was doing. Liu Yi was warm under Wen Yu's hand, his body radiating heat. Wen Yu wanted to press against him, taste those sweet lips, and know what Liu Yi looked like under those layers of fine silk. "You are so lovely," he said again, only half aware that they were so close to kissing that he could feel Liu Yi's breath against his lips. He jerked away, then moved back from Liu Yi so he would not be tempted again.
"I can't."
"You keep saying that, but you won't tell me why." Liu Yi grabbed Wen Yu's sleeve before he could move further away.
"My family's honor, my future, everything rests on this." The full weight of what he was going to do, walk away from Liu Yi—possibly forever—and never know what Liu Yi looked like bare, what he sounded like in passion, never see his sweet smiles again, slammed into Wen Yu.
Liu Yi didn't let go of his sleeve. "Please ..."
Fear mixed with the faintest glimmer of hope gripped Wen Yu. He wanted to tell Liu Yi, he realized. He wanted to say it aloud and discover that it changed nothing. At the same time, he was terrified it would change everything, that his future and his happiness would come crashing down. Would Liu Yi look at him differently, would he hate him?
Wen Yu knelt next to Liu Yi. "Swear to me," he said. "Swear to me on your family's honor, on your loyalty to the emperor, that you'll never tell anyone this."
Liu Yi stared at him, eyes going wide, but he nodded. "I …" He licked his lips. "I swear."
Wen Yu sucked in a long breath, then started talking. "My father never made it past the local examination, but it was his dream that one day his son would pass the examination at the Imperial Palace. His
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