Love Letters

Prologue

Lan Zhan is sitting in the library waiting for his beloved to walk together to the jingshi.  Always together.

In a thoughtful mood, he wonders if Wei Ying knows or understands the depth of his love for him.  He thinks so, but he is a person who never leaves things to chance. So he ponders at what other way he can show his love.

Slowly his hand reaches unknowingly to his pen and takes out a blank sheet of paper.  He stares at its snowy white color.  He marvels at the color and the smoothness beneath his fingertips.  Just like the smoothness of Wei Ying's skin as he slides his fingertips over his body.  He smiles gently at the thought.  His mind then wanders to Wei Ying's red and swollen lips after their many kisses.  

Suddenly he knows what to do. He reaches for the red ink, the same red as his husband's red ribbon always in his hair.  Soon he begins to fill the snowy white paper with his thoughts.

Chapter 1

Lan Zhan's POV

"Beloved, before you came into my life, it was orderly, dull, and colorless.  Now it's filled with chaos, laughter, and brilliant colors. I never want it any other way.

Your Lotus and wine fragrance can either calm me or fill me with desire. 

I love how your hand fits so well into mine.

I love how your body molds into mine in just the right places...

I love your ever-changing silver eyes.  Sparkling with tiny silver stars when happy, thundercloud gray when angered, but mostly, I love the smoky diamond color that comes with lust when I'm loving you.

You are my life, my reason for living, my lover, my husband, my happiness.  

My most cherished husband, you love, soothe, and frustrate me. You surprise me daily; life is never dull around you.

Holding you in my arms and flooding you with kisses is my greatest joy.  

I will desire you always.

You are mine to love and cherish in this lifetime and all others to come.

He smiles as he slips the note into his large sleeve just as Wei Ying enters to collect him.  He rises, and after embracing him, they clasp hands to journey home.  

Lan Zhan slips the note under Wei Ying's pillow.  It will be hours before he wakes up, so he continues his daily routine.

The noon hour is approaching, and Wei Ying is finally awakening.  Slowly and gingerly, he tries to get out of bed, but instead, he gets tangled in the bedsheets and falls to the floor hard.

"Lan Zhan!" yells  Wei Ying in his frustration.  As he's doing battle with the bedding, he spies a piece of paper.  He's suspicious; it's probably another don't-do list for him.  Then he notices the red ink; Lan Zhan only uses this rarely, but his name is written in red.  So, he makes himself more comfortable on the floor and proceeds to read it.  

He is a bawling mess at the end of the letter; again, he wails "Lan Zhan" but in a different tone. After composing himself, he goes to his favorite tree by the river to write his letter to his precious Lan Zhan.

Wei Ying POV

"My heart, you loved me when no one else would.  You stood by me even when I was wrong about everything. Even when I pushed you away; still you never wavered and still loved and protected me.  You are my shield against the world.

You always listen to me even when I utter pure nonsense. 

You always hold me tightly in your strong arms whenever the nightmares come to collect or torment me.

I love the smiles that are only for me. I love your body that only I am allowed to touch and savor. 

I still pinch myself that someone like you loves me.

I love to sprawl across your chest and listen to your heartbeat, which is home to me.

Your Sandalwood scent always brings me shivers of delight whenever you are near.

You saved me from myself, and I will always love you for that.

I cannot be without you; I will forever follow you in all our lifetimes.  We will never part.

You are my soulmate now and forever.

The ink is somewhat blurred from Wei Ying's tears, but he doesn't care.  He knows Lan Zhan won't mind, either. He returns home and acts like nothing has happened.  Lan Zhan is saddened and confused. He looks over to their bed; it has been made. Did he not see the letter? It is highly unlikely. He cannot ask. He quietly goes to bed and says nothing.

In the morning, a letter is addressed to him on Lan Zhan's bedside table.  He sits up in the bed, and with a trembling hand, he reaches for the letter. He sobs while reading it; he suddenly feels feather-light kisses along his cheeks.  Warm, soft fingers are brushing his tears away. He looks at his Wei Ying, who looks at him with absolute love in his eyes. Slowly, Lan Zhan becomes calmer.

Wei Ying slides onto Lan Zhan's lap and smoothes the hair away from Lan Zhan's face, getting his attention.  Wei Ying's sparkling eyes are inviting, and molten amber eyes answer.  No one sees them for days.

Chapter 2

After that magical time, it became a ritual to leave love letters to each other in various and unlikely places.  It brought them together in more ways than one.  

Years later, after their passing, their son A-Yuan is at their jingshi. He is really missing his fathers today. He needed to feel close to them once again.  So he goes inside and looks around.  It's as if they will be coming home any minute; nothing has changed or been touched.  Slowly and reverently, he glides his fingers along his parent's belongings.  His fingers come across a latch that opens a secret door, and inside is a box.

Inside is all the love letters saved by his parents. He sits down and begins to read them.  He can see his Baba always with a smile on his face and his stoic Father who only melted when Baba was near. He wipes his face and replaces the letters back in the box.

This was their home, their place of happiness. It would be wrong to remove them. Theirs was a once-in-a-lifetime love that will forever be etched in his heart. It's like his fathers knew he needed them, and as always, they were there for him. He steps outside the jingshi and looks back.  He bows deeply to his parents.

"I want to be your son in every lifetime; I love you, Baba and Father."

He walks away, both saddened and happy. He was able to spend time with his fathers. He can't wait to be reunited with them again. 

The End