Reincarnation to the Past

Chapter 96

Persea's POV

As soon as they walk past the door, I find myself walking towards the throne and collapsing into the seat. Mael settled himself on my shoulder, rubbing his nose against my neck, Sele plopped down on my head, bringing a small smile to my face, while Elpis pawed at my feet. I could tell they were responding to my emotions and all trying to comfort me.

I wish I could say seeing them didn't affect me but that would be a lie. I loved them; all three of them had been like family to me and when they betrayed me, everything shattered. I may have accepted everything that happened but that didn't make the pain or disappointment disappear. I don't really know if it ever will.

I stood up, willed the waters to create a portal (to where I don't know), and walked through it. I found myself standing beside a lotus pond in a courtyard. I looked around in confusion before squatting down and sliding my hand into the pond. "Why did you bring me here?" I asked, not really expecting a response. The waters may be alive in a sense and may respond in my best interest but it wasn't like I could physically communicate with them.

"Persea?"

My head whipped in the direction of the voice and I smiled. Ofcourse! Of course, they'd bring me here. I stood up and sprinted towards the owner of the voice, throwing my hands around his neck, trusting him to catch me. "Lì!" I exclaimed, wrapping my arms tightly around him as he balanced himself and his hands pressed against the small of my back, pulling me even closer to him.

(A/N: Persea has only visited Lì's actual room through shadow travel, using the coordinates from the shadow soldier attached to him. She hasn't been to his residence per se, so she didn't recognize the courtyard.)

He pulls away after a minute, his hands resting on either of my cheeks as he gazes into my eyes in worry. "What's wrong?? Are you okay??"

My lips widen into a bright smile as I respond, "I'm okay now!" before pulling him back into a hug. I totally understand now when people say they need long hugs to recharge! Lì returns his hands to my back, hoisting me off my feet—causing me to exclaim in surprise —before carrying me inside and setting me on his bed. He kneeled down in front of me, closely examining my face for any signs of concern. I smiled at the furrow in his brow and pressed my finger against it to relieve the tension. "I'm fine, really. Those people who I said I was hiding from? Three of them found out about me." I explained. His eyes shot up in worry but I placed my index finger over his lips, silencing him. I leaned forward to press my forehead against his. "It's fine. They won't tell on me... for now at least, so I'm still safe. It was just seeing them again, I suppose. It affected me more than I expected!"

His worry did not dissipate but he shut his eyes and took a deep breath before opening them again. His hands reached out and caressed my cheeks. "What can I do?"

I smiled and scooted to the center of the bed. "Sit here." I tapped the space beside me and he stared at the mattress as though it had offended him in some way but still followed my request, taking care to place some distance between us. And I wasn't having any of that. I drew closer to him and pushed him down onto the bed, lying down sideways beside him, resting my face in the hollow of his neck and wrapping my arms around him as he stiffened beside me. My smile grew as I cuddled beside him, feeling the warmth of his presence envelop me and drive away all my dark thoughts. I realized this the last time we slept together, he had a calming effect on me. 

I looked up at him after a few minutes of 'recharging' and laughed at the sight of him staring at the ceiling as though there was something breathtaking on it. I propped my cheeks on my palm, using my elbow for support, as I gazed down at him with a playful smirk.

"You know, sometimes I think you don't even see me as a man!" He said with a huff as he turned to face me, causing me to burst into laughter, which only made his lips pout further.

I let myself fall back to the bed and stare at the ceiling, "It's not that I don't see you as a man. I just trust you in spite of it. You won't do anything unless I'm ready."

"In that case, you seem to trust me more than I'd trust myself!" 

I laugh, turning towards him. We were both lying on our sides, facing each other. "I can't sleep with another person on the same bed as me. Falling asleep with another requires a high degree of trust that I never thought I'd possess, especially after everything that happened." I confessed with a small smile. "I suppose the fact that I feel this safe and comfortable with you surprises me too."

He shakes his head, releasing another huff before looking at me, the worry returning to his eyes. "These people after you... who are they? Can they harm you??"

I remain silent for a while before responding carefully, "I'm not worried about the three that found me but if they tell the others, then it can be problematic, I suppose."

"Who are these people??"

"Very powerful beings..."

"How do you know them? Why are they even after you?? You don't even want anything to do with them so why can't they just leave you alone?? Why—"

I sighed, "It's a long story, Lì."

"I have nothing better to do right now..."

I stared at him. Honestly, I didn't know what was going on between us—whether there was even something. But I knew I wanted there to be. I may be dense about stuff but I knew this much. I liked him. It was more than him being the first person I met at this time, not as Li Yǔ but as 'Percy'. He was the first person I could be myself with—the first person who made me smile and laugh for a long time, the first person I chose to trust after everything that happened, and the first person to see me at my worst. He was the one to hold me up when the memories of my past became too much, the one who made sure I wouldn't drown in the pain and betrayals. That's why the waters sent me here—they could sense that he was what I needed. Whatever it was that was growing between us, I wanted to explore it. And I can't exactly do that while keeping a huge part of me—a potentially dangerous part—secret from him. He needed to know exactly what he was getting into, in case he wanted to back out. I knew that at some point, if I really wanted a life with him, I'd have to tell him everything. The fact that the one in the body wasn't the real Yǔ, that my soul is a man. It might send him running and that somewhat terrified me. I don't know what I'd end up doing if even he let me down.

I couldn't tell him who I was, not now when our future was still uncertain but I could give him something. For all the times he stood by me, even without knowing what or why, he deserved something. I owed him that much, at least. An explanation of a part of my life, even if it wasn't the main part.

This was a terrible idea!!

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