The Silent Guard (mxm)

Chapter 13

His Zen was acting odd. Eating extra at breakfast was an exciting surprise, but at the same time, it made him incredibly nervous. He'd never seen him eat so much without being begged to. Then he actually drank half a cup of tea during their meeting with the empress, too. Qi couldn't figure it out as he walked calmly with his hands behind his back, his sweet servant at his side, yet the slightest bit behind him. The young man was oddly silent, but of course, not in a way that one could hear. In all honesty, his Zen talked quite a lot, though his words never came from his lips. His eyes, on the other hand...

Unable to help himself, Qi glanced over his shoulder and met Zen's soft stare. 

His eyes say so much more than anyone's mouth ever could. 

And that was also why he was worried. His Zen, the boy that he had practically raised since he was a boy, kept averting his eyes whenever they met his, as if he were a nervous child that had done something wrong.

I want to sit him down and talk, but it will have to wait. 

They had been heading for the market with prince Yuen, as per his mother's request. Unfortunately, right as they'd been leaving the front palace gates, the other prince had been called away by his father. He had no doubt that they might be targeted again during their outing, and that the prince was removed as an obstacle, but he wasn't going to stress about it. He had his barriers up and Zen's ability was also working well. Thankfully, the bustling area wasn't too far from the palace, either, and there were quite a few more places to hide than the market they had first been attacked in when they'd arrived in the country. 

Quite a few food stalls were set up as they entered the sprawling lanes of booths, making Qi silently wish that Zen was able to eat more than a few bites every couple of days. Feeling a tug on his sleeve, he quickly pushed his previous thoughts away and offered Zen a warm smile. When he realized that he was pointing somewhere and silently asking him to follow, Qi nodded and did so. 

Ah, candied hawthorn. 

It was his favorite street food treat. Wanting to see Zen smile, Qi quickly bought himself one with the money the empress had gifted them. Once he had received the treat, he turned and began walking again, taking Zen's hand as they entered a busier section. 

"Thank you for finding this for me. It's delicious," he said as he glanced at his guard, who's smile was undeniable. 

It was definitely a good idea to stop using the mask. 

That's what he thought, until he realized that quite a few other people were also staring at his guard. 

Perhaps it was not my best idea, after all. 

He would have to reconsider. He still got to see the man in private all he wished. Yes, he would definitely have to reconsider keeping the mask off. Another tug on his sleeve drew his attention as Zen walked ahead of him slightly, silently requesting that he follow again. 

Anywhere you wish, my Zen. 

They walked toward another stall that had a wide variety of folding fans. Each one was more beautiful than the next, and as the owner of the booth went on about how each one was hand painted and completely original, Qi couldn't bring himself to care for a single word. His full attention was on his Zen as he carefully and gently examined the items that caught his eye with a look of wonder on his face. 

Qi wanted to ask if he'd like one, but he knew what the man's answer would be. He truly was completely devoted to him. Anything that he liked was second best to finding something his master wanted. However... now that he thought about it. Zen had never brought me over to the fan booths before. He would always just look at them from afar or sneak a few feet away while I was browsing herbs at a neighboring stall.