It started with a whisper

Chapter 2

"Shall we stop here for tonight? The cave is still a few miles away but moving at night isn't exactly safe," said Zizhen.

"Hm, I think that is a great idea," said Lan Jingyi, shizui and Jin ling nodded their head in agreement.

"I shall go collect firewood. Master Zizhen, please help Jingyi start the dinner preparation," said Shizui, who was walking away from the group.

"Shizui, I'll accompany you," said Jin Ling, who followed behind the man who stopped dead in his tracks.

"No need," said Shizui, almost imitating his father's tone, but he wasn't quite deep and continued walking further.

"Master Lan, please let clan leader Jin accompany you as it is almost nightfall and I believe if a predator is near clan leader jin may be of assistance," said Zizhen, who actually wanted alone time with his Lan Jingyi as he winked at the other boy who in return glared at the boy.

"Alright then, we will be back in fifteen minutes. If not, please follow after us," said Lan Shizui, who was now waiting for the taller man to walk next to him as they disappeared in the bushes and trees.

"Zizhen, why would you let my brother leave with that maniac," said Jingyi in an angry tone.

"Because I wanted to Kiss you," said Zizhen, who then delivered on his words and planted a sweet kiss on his lover. Jingyi deepened the kiss at once, only to have the taller man pull him closer by the waist as they continued with their moment.

On the other hand, Lan Shizui and Jin Ling were busy chopping off the tree truck that they had felled away a few moments ago.

"Shizui, I umm let me do it," said jin Ling as he walked behind shizui.

"It's quite an ok clan leader Jin, I am not fair maiden that I can't do simple tasks such as cutting firewood," said Shizui, although some part of him wished he was one so he might have had a chance with the Young master Jin.

Shizui who was deep in thought accidentally lost his footing as he landed his front food on the tree root and fell towards the side however when his head landed against a strong yet warm surface instead of the harsh and dirty ground he couldn't help but lookup. Shizui's eyes locked once again with the young master of the Jin clan bit this time he couldn't look away from the man.

"Shizui please call me by my name," whispered Jin Ling in Lan Shizui's ears that were visibly red to the Jin Ling as hugged the shorter man from the back. But Sadly Shizui had broken out of his love-struck moment and tried to walk out of the embrace.

"I can not," said shizui who was a few meters away from the yellow clothed boy. But Jin Ling acted fast as he grabbed the boy's arm in time and pulled him to a stronger embrace this time the shorter man's facing his chest.

"Lan Yuan, I have already turned down that wedding proposal please don't act like a stranger," declared Jin Ling who was now resting his head on shizui's shoulder. Shizui who had completely melted at Jin Ling calling him by his courtesy name could no longer not comply with his request.

"Jin Ling shall we return it has been a bit over 15 minutes over, we don't want to worry Jingyi and young master Zizhen," said Lan Shizui who was blushing helplessly in the taller man's embrace but smiling as he knew that his love might not be inequitable after all.