265: 6.25 Need For Distraction

6.25 Need For Distraction

Hundreds of horses marched forward with the command, issuing the beginning of another war. Thick snow crunched under the gallops and the ground seemed to vibrate along with their fiery shouts. Storm of dust cooked up behind their footsteps and the two opposing forces clashed in the middle.  0

What followed thereafter was pure chaos.

The next four days continued in the same routine. They killed some, they lost more. From the moment when the sun hadn't arisen yet up until dusk settled in the horizon, they never stopped. They fought until the air was heavy with the stench of blood and death, and cries of anger and despair reverberated through the air.

So far, they had the upper hand, yet none of them found such joy amidst such devastating circumstances. Night time was the most difficult; when they had to do body count and buried their fellow comrades, saluting them for the honorable service they had done. The declining number hung like a heavy cloak of glum around their shoulders and they couldn't help but wonder when… until when would they keep fighting? 

Jillian yanked his armor off and threw it haphazardly to the table as soon as he entered the tent, blood and grime still sticking to his entire body but he couldn't afford to care. His chest felt tight and the back of his eyes stung, yet no tears came out. He paced back and forth like a caged beast as that was the only thing he could do to alleviate the overwhelming helplessness and frustration in his chest. Lu Yizhou materialized in front of him and Jillian instantly caught him in a suffocating embrace, clinging to him so tightly as if his life depended on it.

"Regius…" he rasped, sorrowful.

Lu Yizhou hummed and brushed off the hair sticking to his face. He didn't say anything because he understood that Jillian needed nothing of the sort. Words of comfort and apologies were vain and the only thing he could do was to be here with Jillian when he needed him the most.

"Regius," Jillian said once again, a sharp gasp wrenched out of his chest but he still couldn't bring himself to cry; had been too numb to do so. He had seen his fellow soldiers perished in front of him countless times but like any other times before, he couldn't afford to get distracted. He continued to swing his swords, cutting down the enemies in front of him and pave his bloody way forward. He had to wait until nighttime to finally dig them out one by one from the mountain of corpses, accompanied by muted sniffles and sobs of the living soldiers. So many faces, so many voices resounded in his ears and Jillian felt like he had to do something before he went crazy. 

So he yanked Lu Yizhou's head down and caught his lips messily, roughly. Their teeth clinked together and Jillian let out a brief hiss of pain. 

If Jillian wanted distraction, then Lu Yizhou would give it to him. Cradling Jillian's jaw, Lu Yizhou tilted his head to angle the lips better; then he bore down forcefully on Jillian. It was nothing like the kisses they had had before; not even when they were on the peak of passion and too delirious to remember their own names. This was brutal, savage and merciless. They were biting and tearing into each other, hands grasping, pulling, dragging onto whatever they could hold. Tang of metallic blood bloomed between their lips. Lu Yizhou was uncertain who it belonged to. 

At some point, Jillian tapped on his shoulder, flustered. Lu Yizhou merely pulled away a bit to let Jillian gasp in a mouthful of breath before he dove in again. Rougher, faster, he was taking, taking, and taking… until Jillian's tight grip behind his back loosened and his arms fell limply on his side.

When Lu Yizhou drew back eventually before his lover could pass out, he found the tension already loosening from Jillian's shoulders. His entire body was soft and lax, and his legs would have given up beneath him if not for Lu Yizhou holding him up. He was breathing even harder than when he just returned from the battlefield, with dirt across his face and ponytail askew due to Lu Yizhou's manhandling. His glassy eyes were fixated on Lu Yizhou in a daze. Such a beautiful being he was, Lu Yizhou thought fondly.

Lu Yizhou tucked Jillian's hair behind his ear and caressed the damp spot on the corner of his eyes. "Are you feeling better?"

Jillian blinked and shook his head to wipe the haze away from his eyes. Lu Yizhou waited patiently until clarity returned to those golden orbs. "Oh—Oh wow…" Jillian blinked a few times and gulped. "That was…" He licked his lips and only then did Lu Yizhou realize that there was a cut on the bottom lip, not so noticeable among the many cuts and bruises he had gotten these past few days. "Where do you learn to kiss like that…?" He couldn't help asking, purely curious.

Lu Yizhou felt himself smiling and the corner of Jillian's lips curled along subconsciously. Gone was the savage and desperate look he had earlier. If he could already ask such a question, then he was most probably fine. 

"Thank you for the compliment." Lu Yizhou replied demurely. "I would like to sincerely offer this service everytime you need it."

Jillian blinked with disbelief in his eyes and then burst into soft chuckles, the sound so sweet and melodious that it washed over Lu Yizhou's heart like warm honey. "It can't be… are you joking with me right now?"

A smirk was playing on Lu Yizhou's lips, albeit his eyes remained as serious as ever. "Do you think I am joking?"

"Pfft, alright. Get away from me." Jillian pushed Lu Yizhou off him only to sway on his feet. He let out a small embarrassed sound when he had to grab onto the table for support. "Ugh, I smell like Hell. How could you still kiss me when I am like this?" 

"I will kiss you no matter what state you're in."

"You—" Jillian offered a menacing glare, except it was hard to think of him as one when he was still clearly so affected by the kiss with his bruised lips, flushed cheeks and glossy eyes. Lu Yizhou couldn't help but feel a surge of pride from that. Unable to find an appropriate retort, Jillian merely clicked his tongue and went behind the folding screen to wash himself. Lu Yizhou sat on the bed, waiting until Jillian broke the silence. "Thank you, Regius. I—I really needed that."

Lu Yizhou merely hummed, knowing that Jillian had more to say.

"It's just too much sometimes, you know." The splashes of water accompanied Jillian's subdued voice. "I wish I could do something to stop the war, to prevent more people from dying, to not have to worry about war breaking out anytime soon. Why is it so hard?"

"You're good, Jillian." Lu Yizhou replied softly. "Very good." 

It was at times like these that Lu Yizhou had the notion that deep down, even without memory, Jillian was still his lover after all. Seriously, what was up with him and his self-sacrificing nature? In the second world, Theodore willingly accompanied him even in the face of death. In the third world, Oliver reached out to him again and again trusting that Lu Yizhou wouldn't hurt him, even though Lu Yizhou had a hard time trusting himself. Not to mention in the fourth and fifth world, Heimo and Terra were two peas in a pod. Both were willing to perish to protect those who were precious to them.

Lu Yizhou felt very, very proud. It was like seeing his lover expand his wings for the first time and embrace the world as it was, no matter how ugly and repulsive it was.

Jillian came out from behind the screen, his hair still dripping wet. "Do you really think so?" 

There was something vulnerable in those usually tenacious and unwavering eyes, and Lu Yizhou's heart squeezed at the sight. "Mn."

"It seems like we have to advance the secret plan of arranged marriage." Jillian plopped himself down on Lu Yizhou's lap, arms going around Lu Yizhou's neck and twiddling the silky long hair between his fingers. "Now, please do tell, Sir Regius, do you really have a candidate in mind? The future of our country lies in your hands!"

"I do." Lu Yizhou held onto his waist and drew circles on his skin. "Just wait a little bit more."

"How long?" Jillian urged with a not so noticeable pout.

It was at that moment that a series of footsteps were heard approaching their tent. Jillian smoothly slid down Lu Yizhou's lap whereas the other simply returned to being a doll. "General!" It was one of the soldiers who was charged with patrolling tonight.

Jillian tensed and subconsciously reached for his sword. "What's wrong?"

"Ah that…" The soldier gestured outside wildly. "It's Sergeant Hayden. Sergeant Hayden has caught up to us!"

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