There wasn't any time for Tao Hua to register what had happened between the two.
After ingesting the elixir, the taste of that god-awful liquid was far too much for him to bear. Even if he tried to spit it out or even stick his tongue out in disgust, he wasn't any match for Shan Si.
Anytime he tried, Shan Si would press his lips roughly against Tao Hua's, enough to tilt his head back; all by shoving his body forward and against the dazed princess.
Really, Tao Hua had no other choice but to swallow it. But for some reason, The couldn't understand why Shan Si continued after the deed was said and done—it wasn't like Tao Hua was any good at this activity of…kissing?
Hm, kissing. Kissing?
Administering Liquid…or kissing?
Who knew!
Tao Hua didn't!
Both were embarrassing to think about and made his temperature rise exceptionally, and more-so were the places Shan Si's hands would travel. As for his lips, well, they were not anywhere near Tao Hua's mouth.
And goodness, did he ever wish they were! Simply because his inability to control his own sounds echoed that library, with the attempts of Tao Hua trying to choke them back.
All-in-all, while this went on, Shan Si just had Tao Hua lay back and handled everything. He adjusted Tao Hua carefully, pleased with just how obedient he lay under Shan Si.
He'd watch as Tao Hua's eyes glossed over, dazed and responding to Shan Si's touch. If he wanted his neck, Tao Hua would tilt his head. If it were his lips, Tao Hua would part them. If Shan Si trailed kisses lower, past his collarbone, he'd be roused by Tao Hua suddenly freaking out and grabbing his shoulders, his breath growing heavier and heavier.
The mindless pleas fuelled him for the first time in his life when enacting such defiling pleasures.
Thus, Shan Si tested out each and every way he could garner a reaction from that pretty face under him.
All in the name of ensuring Tao Hua would fully consume the elixir, lest they risk and waste it.
But even when he mentioned this, time and time again, Tao Hua wasn't fully blind to the the truth.
It was bullshit!
Bullshit! Bullshit! BULLSHIT!
…right?
But too bad there wasn't any time to wager.
Before Shan Si could make it past Tao Hua's chest, Tao Hua pushed against Shan Si's shoulders as hard as possible. It was the first Tao Hua had taken initiative, and that was in announcing he was going to get sick.
Which was true! Regardless of Shan Si's ongoing difficulty to end things, he knew Tao Hua's announcement wasn't a ruse based on his anxiety toward things he's never done.
Such were the workings of the elixir. Target the substance and extract it.
Thus, the rest of their evening didn't involve messing around on a bed, nor cuddling into each other, disregarding the quid pro quo for an evening without pleasantries.
It was spent with Tao Hua crouched on the ground of the washing room, head in a bucket, vomiting up heavens knows what. Shan Si remained next to him the entire time, patting his back.
Anytime Tao Hua turned his head toward Shan Si, cheek against the bucket, looking utterly exhausted, he tried to bring up what had happened. However, the moment he started to speak, his face flushed red and heart palpitated, feeling the discomfort in his throat.
Another round of vomiting. Fun.
He was officially ordered not to utter a word, all by the man holding back his hair and rubbing his back.
What a lovely way to spend an evening after a supposed first kiss! Nothing of Tao Hua's romantic firsts ever happened like they did in the storybooks!
The sickness became so much that at the end of it, Tao Hua just passed out flat on the ground. If it hadn't been for Shan Si carrying him off to the bedchambers, he would have woken up looking like a fish out of water.
That night, not a single bad dream plagued Tao Hua's mind. He was back to normal!
And that normal was the regularly scheduled dreams of things best not spoken, but frustrating all the same! With a new source of material, too!
Eyes jerking open, Tao Hua was overcome with a heat that sweltered on his skin, dampening it uncomfortably. He stared up at the ceiling, dripping with the shadowed fabric of the bedchambers royal curtains.
It was quiet—all but for the sound of the howling wind rattling the lattice window yonder the chamber, and heavy breathing right against his ear.
The thumping in Tao Hua's chest heightened, and he wasn't sure which was louder: the wind, the breathing, or his chest.
It didn't matter; Tao Hua's head was still too hazy to give a shit.
He went to reach his hand up and free himself of the blankets, but it just wouldn't budge. He tugged, and tugged, and tugged, but here lies the issue: each time he tugged, it only felt like the blankets became tighter.
Giving up, Tao Hua let out a long, light sigh, turning his head and laying his cheek on the mat. When he did, his eyes fell on a familiar face.
Next to him, holding him as tightly as possible, was a sleeping Shan Si.
And like a clock ticking, Tao Hua just stared and stared in a daze, watching that beautiful face sound peacefully asleep. And he did this until, finally, his brain dinged!
Tao Hua's face flushed a fluorescent red, his head whipping away from Shan Si's. He recalled all that before they had slept—from the kissing, the touching, the rustling of sheets, and the sweaty mess of hair. Every part of it, and all that came after!
It made Tao Hua's reaction ever more bothersome, his lips practically burning with how much the man next to him bit them.
He was no expert in this field; in fact, he had no experience whatsoever to be thinking the things he did, but wasn't Prince Charming supposed to handle their princess with utmost care?
Against Shan Si's arm, his chest beat enough to cause slight tremors, and he watched as it elevated rapidly.
Gently, he tried to wriggle his arms out of Shan Si's hold, but there was simply no fighting it, and if he tried harder, he'd risk waking him up. This was the first night in months that Shan Si could fully sleep through; Tao Hua didn't want to ruin that.
So, he remained in his thoughts.
Was that a kiss? Is something like that considered a kiss, and can I count it as my first? Tao Hua ruminated, the lingering feelings of it still on his lips. But he was just feeding me the elixir; that's just being efficient. But it wasn't like I refused to take it or anything…I kinda did, but I would have taken if he told me to.
Tao Hua peeked one more look over at Shan Si, his breath increasing. Very slowly, he carefully wiggled out one of his arms—the one closest to Shan Si—and hovered his fingers over Shan Si's lips, but not quite touching.
He observed is as if it were a newfound treasure, as delicate as porcelain, and found it hard to believe that he'd tasted them.
Face red, his hands curled, and Tao Hua embarrassingly side-glanced away for a moment.
Am I allowed…? He shifted his eyes to look back at Shan Si's lips again, but immediately clamped them shut at the idea. Removing his hand and tucking it back into place, he reasoned, No. I shouldn't without his permission.
When he opened his eyes, they fell on Shan Si once more. Tao Hua didn't find himself capable of sleep just yet, so he just positioned himself on his side—gradually. Which took him about ten minutes total, so as not to wake up Shan Si.
And for the next few hours that night, he watched the other sleep peacefully, his head tilted further into the pillow, and a lingering sadness on his face.
Would someone like him actually fall for someone like me?
Chapter end