The King's Dancer

Chapter 29

Xie Lian got woken up by soft caresses on his naked abdomen.

Even better, he was comfortably cozy and warm and he could feel his alpha lying right behind him. Xie Lian hummed contendly, and tried to turn around to face Hua Cheng. However, by attempting to move, he realised his lower back and butt were protesting any sort of movement, and he stopped before he even made it onto his back, grunting in confused discomfort.

"Gege?", Hua Cheng asked worriedly.

"I feel like I got overrun by five horses and three carriages", Xie Lian sighed, and moved only his head to finally get a look at his alpha.

Hua Cheng hadn't put his eyepatch back on yet, and was still just as naked as Xie Lian was, both of which Xie Lian was rather delighted to see.

His alpha looked a little amused at hearing Xie Lian's words, but he didn't laugh, and instead gave him a slow and drawn out good morning kiss. It had Xie Lian purring.

"Gege, we're both filthy. Let's take a bath together, shall we?", his alpha suggested afterwards, which Xie Lian was very strongly in favour of. After all, he had a rather crusty feeling between his legs. He also felt stiff, as if he'd battled a small army only by himself. So, a hot bath to soothe his aching muscles sounded absolutely heavenly right about now.

Since Hua Cheng had long noticed that Xie Lian was a bit of a heap on the bed right now, he readily gathered him in his arms, like he used to do when Xie Lian had first twisted his ankle, and carried him into the bath chamber, where he sat him down on a stool, before his alpha cleaned him thoroughly. Xie Lian felt a bit shy again when Hua Cheng was cleaning the inside of his thighs, as well as his private parts, which was why he had a bright red head once his alpha was done cleaning him. He'd be lying if he said he hadn't enjoyed the tender attention though.

Hua Cheng made a quick process of cleaning himself as well, before he picked Xie Lian up, and got into the bathtub with him. Though, instead of putting Xie Lian down beside him, he just kept him on his lap, and hugged his waist to keep him securely in place. Xie Lian wasn't complaining in the slightest, and cuddled up against his alpha's chest.

In this moment he truly felt like was in heaven; the hot water felt like it was already doing wonders for his aches, and Hua Cheng's arms gave him the same feeling a security blanket gave to a toddler.

They didn't talk much in the bath, but Hua Cheng stroking his waist and back and arm was a more than enjoyable way to pass their time there. Of course Xie Lian tried to repay those affections as well, by nuzzling into his alpha's embrace and pressing soft kisses against the part of his collarbone that Xie Lian could reach easily every once in a while.

Eventually, they had to leave the bath, and while Hua Cheng was ready to carry him again, Xie Lian felt like he should be able to walk now. And he was. Though only in a rather undignified manner. As much as he tried to hide it, he had a limp, and his lower back still protested some of his movements. Thus, when he walked back into the bedchamber, with his hand clutching his back, as well as a limp, he felt like he was an 800 year old ancestor more than anything, and wondered if Hua Cheng had a walking cane lying around somewhere to complete the image.

While they were in the bath, Yin Yu had apparently brought in breakfast, much to Xie Lian's delight. He felt like he was starving.

While they were eating, Xie Lian suddenly remembered something.

"Shouldn't that Qi Rong be in your throne room by now?", he asked Hua Cheng, who finished slurping on his spoon of congee before he answered.

"He most likely is. But that doesn't matter. Since your back is giving gege trouble, I suggest we lie back down in bed while I tell you my story", his alpha smiled.