CW: Explicit language, mentions of hanging, description of wounds, graphic sexual content.
White Lotus Lake sits at the peak of Aran Mountain, a mercurial coin surrounded by the thicket of larch and evergreen. This is the highest one can be in Hanjuyang.
From the bluff shearing off the side of the great lake, one can look down upon Hanjuyang in its suffocating sprawl and the vast swathes of farmland beyond. Hanjuyang River snakes through the imperial city, stretching as far as the horizon where a shimmering blue swell can be seen. This isn’t the sea. Rather, it is the Blue Plains and in the belly of this land, the Imperial Palace where the Mother resides.
Rin’s eye lingers on that deep royal blue, leaking into the earthy patches of farmland. He unlatches the window and swings it open, perching himself upon the frame. He would like to visit the Blue Plains at least once in his life to meet the Mother face to face. He’s unsure what he would say or if he would even say anything at all. But he doesn’t want to die without knowing this person who has such a claim over his life. And over his city.
“Rinnie, must you test my heart? There are plenty of seats here, if you wish to rest your legs.”
A reproachful voice breaks him from his reverie. He grins at the little lord as the latter sets down a tray laden with tea and snacks on the round gate-leg table. “I can see the view better from here,” Rin says, stretching his arms high above his head. He hides a wince when he feels a light twinge of pain. “I’ve been looking out this window for an hour now and I’ve not seen a single person. I don’t think I’ve ever been in a place so quiet.”
“Not many can afford land here,” Jun says, setting up the table. “And most of the manors are leisure houses, so they are only occupied for a few weeks every year. If that.”
“Tch. Such a waste. What’s the point of owning a house if you never use it?”
“Excess is an unfortunate symptom of the wealthy.”
“You do realise this applies to you as well, little lord,” Rin says dryly, standing and moving over to the table. “Yakgwa? Are we getting married?” He laughs and snatches one of the soft honey cookies, shoving it into his mouth.
“Rinnie,” Jun scolds him lightly, cheeks tinged pink as he nudges him into a seat. “Drink tea while you eat, otherwise you will get indigestion. I brewed a pot of magnolia berry tea. Hopefully it is to your taste.”
Rin muffles something through a full mouth before throwing back the tea like a shot of liquor. There’s a sated gasp. “Hm. Why don’t you give up on the whole Governor thing? You can be my manservant instead.” He grabs a sorghum rice cake and lounges back in his seat, legs swinging as he eats his snack.
“Manservant?” Jun sits opposite his friend and pours him more tea, pausing to think about the proposal. By the look on his face, he seems to take it seriously. “I think…” His blush deepens and kisses the tops of his ears. “I think I would rather be something else.”
“Hm? So…my personal Healer, maybe?” Rin pops another rice cake into his mouth. Tiny white seeds stick to the corner of his mouth, but he doesn’t seem to realise. “Or guard? You’re pretty good with that sword.”
Jun stares at the seeds, feeling his heart itch. “No. Something else.”
“Ah…cook? Although I think you’d be wasted in a kitchen.”
The lord huffs a laugh and shakes his head. “I would be honoured to be your manservant,” he acquiesces, quietly. He reaches out to grasp the side of Rin’s face, calloused thumb carefully wiping those plump lips clean. The raven watches with a gaping eye as Jun calmly brings his thumb to his own lips and eats the seeds without thinking.
There’s a needy tug in the Rat’s belly, as if those lips, and that tongue, had devoured him instead. Suddenly heated, he quickly gulps down his tea. “W-We should go down to the lake before it gets dark,” he stammers, shooting to his feet. His chair skids back and topples over, landing with a loud crash. “We wouldn’t want to catch the chill or anything, right?”
Jun tilts his head, confused by the other’s strange reaction. “We have hours until sunset. You should relax and finish eating. Father has lent us the house for the entire week, so we have plenty of time to enjoy the lake.” Smiling, he refills Rin’s cup and pushes the plate of cookies closer to his side.
The raven visibly hesitates before picking up his chair and sitting back down. A scowl perches upon his lips as he snatches his cup, but he’s suddenly too nervous to drink.
“I don’t see how it could help me anyway,” he grumbles, gnawing on the rim of his cup. “It’s just a stupid lake, isn’t it?”
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
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The Rat lowers his gaze. Teeth click anxiously against green ceramic. “Do I…have to strip?” he asks weakly.
Of course, Jun realises with a heart-wrenching start. Of course he would be anxious about this. He still refuses to look in the mirror – how could he bear to have another’s eyes upon him? Although Jun still finds the raven as breath-taking as ever, his reassurances seem to be of little effect. “You could wear a light robe if that would make you more comfortable. You are still barred from exerting yourself, thus swimming is not an option.”
“I don’t even know how to swim,” Rin mutters, but he seems all the more relieved. “I’ve never been to a lake before. How can it be heated? Is it magic?”
Jun huffs a laugh and shakes his head. “It might be widely accepted outside of academic circles that the heat is generated by magic. However, ancient texts from the Last Cycle speak of a phenomenon known as geothermal heat, meaning the water circulates through the ground and to the fire at the core of the land.”
“There’s a fire? In the ground?” Rin glances at the floor, as if he might be able to glimpse said fire. “That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard. Who’s keeping it lit? Izayoma? And there aren’t any trees in the Underworld.” An uncertain pause. “Are there?”
“Do you truly believe that the Underworld is physically beneath our feet?” Jun asks, a teasing touch to his words.
Rin blinks at the lord, head cocked. “Well…yeah? Where else would it be?”
“Where else indeed,” Jun laughs, goldens glimmering with unseen light. The sound is deep and clear, twisting up Rin’s insides in the most delicious way.
They speak on petty things for a while longer, finishing the snacks and sipping their tea, until the sun begins to dip beneath the horizon. The first stars emerge in the gloam when Rin suddenly falls into a grim mood.
“What do you think will happen to me, Jun?” He’s staring at the tiny red berries at the bottom of his tea cup, fingers white around the rim. “It’s been a week already and your old man made his move yet.”
“I think you did exceptionally well, Rinnie,” Jun says, gathering the plates onto the tray in a neat pile. “My father seemed rather impressed with you.”
“Hm. Up until a certain point.”
“Yes. Tempers flared. However, I think my father has decided to let you be. He is a decisive man, so if he had the mind to send you to the gallows, it would have happened already.” And I be made to watch, Jun adds silently with a faint grimace.
“I can’t believe he’s not gonna do anything about Kahin.” Rin slams the cup onto the table, irritation giving way to pure fury. “He’s damning those Roses! And what about Blossom? He’s experimenting on humans, Jun. Not only that, he’s a fucking killer! He said it himself–” There’s a sharp intake when ice water douses the fire of his ire. What am I talking about? Aren’t I a killer too?
He grips the cup tightly as if it were the only thing keeping him afloat. “…Maybe he should send me to the gallows after all,” he mutters under his breath.
Jun clenches his fists upon his lap, gaze lowered in shame. “I apologise, Rinnie. I know I should have been more of a support for you. However, I was only focused on preserving your life. Though my values align with yours…I do not possess the bravery you do. My cowardice is something I have struggled with since childhood. Most noticeably when it comes to my father. He has…such a hold over me, Rinnie. And no matter how much I try to convince myself of my courage, it falters at the very sight of him.”
“Bravery?” Rin’s lips twitch into a wry smile. “Even if I were brave, so what? I can be brave all day, every day, and nothing will change. Because I was born a Rat and not a little lord.”
Jun flinches. He swallows and nods, unable to protest. “Things will change,” he says, firmly, raising his gaze. “I promise you.”
“…I know I shouldn’t believe you. But I do.” Rin meets Jun’s eyes. “As long as you never hold me back like that again, little lord. I need you on my side, not his.” His glare like crystal ice, blackened and cracked.
Jun’s breath catches in his throat. Who is this? “I…I understand,” he says, breathlessly. “I am always on your side. Please, do not doubt me on this.”
The Rat nods shortly and stands up, not a shift nor waver in his cold expression. He goes to the window, pulling it close and flipping the latch. The fiery hues of dusk paints his profile as he lingers, staring dazedly into flames that only he can see.
***
A light steam blankets the glassy surface of White Lotus Lake. The peak of Aran Mountain towers over the shore, though it disappears into a thicket of clouds. Beyond the precipice on the opposite shore, the thousand lights of Hanjuyang burns bright below. Lonely farmsteads make their solitary cluster, but together they form a constellation only seen from this height.
Various spring blossom trees bloom around the lake, scatters of petals fluttering upon the dancing breeze. There’s a warm, sweet scent that fills the air here, healing to the soul and the mind. Tonight, there’s a slight chill in the air, but it’s offset by their beautiful surroundings.
Rin sits on the water’s edge, shuffling down the slanted and rocky bank upon his rear. Every inch taken takes an inch off his robes, the hem riding up his legs until they expose two soft thighs. Angry puckered skin spreads down the left, stark against his marble complexion.
He stills when he catches sight of the wound, thighs pressed together a contrast of their twin. Idle fingers trace the ridges of the rankled wound, sending tiny sparks of pain through his nerves. “Ugly,” he murmurs, lashes trembling on his waterline. There’s a faint smile, as if he were pleased by this fact.
“Rinnie, are you alright?” Jun slips into the lake without hesitation, wearing nothing but light bottoms. His chest is bare and broad, glistening with drops of mineral water. Those defined muscles are a welcome distraction for the raven, who stares without reserve, a faint blush colouring his cheeks.
“Mn. I’m fine now.” He gives the confused man a coy smile, shuffling closer to the edge until his feet dip into the toasty waters. It’s like sinking into hot jelly, the water near solid under his soles. “It doesn’t seem too deep.”
Jun nods, sweeping his hands through the surface. Ripples expand from his form, rings expanding until they lap at the shoreline. “I can easily touch the bottom and it comes to my waist. For you, it may be to your chest, but I will be here to hold you should you need.”
“Rude bastard,” Rin grumbles, nose wrinkling at the sincerity of the lord’s tone. He’s tempted to slap that clueless grin off Jun’s handsome face, but all that transpires is a violent twitch of the hand. “You better not let me drown!”
They spend several minutes idly playing in the lake. Night blankets Hanjuyang, stars sprawling above like a million fireflies. No light touches the sky directly above their heads however, as the perpetual clouds of the peak gather in their sleepy masses.
Jun rests his back against the rocky shore, sunk low enough for the water to lap at his chest. His eyes are closed and a content smile sits snugly on his face. Damp oaken curls frame his enchanting features, drawing Rin close as if he were pulled by a siren song.
The raven slips his hands over those broad shoulders and Jun’s smile deepens. Big hands carefully grip Rin’s hips to tug him near. Their chests press flush against each other with only a flimsy layer of fabric between them.
“When did you get so godsdamned big?” Rin growls, lips twisted in irritation. He belts his legs around Jun’s vigorous form, inevitably squeezing his bare thighs into that cinched waist. “It’s only been seven months and you’ve packed on muscles like a fucking titan bear. What have you been eating?”
Jun laughs, the noise rumbling through his chest. Goldens melt and burn like the core of Solaris as they drink in the sight of the other.
Long sable tresses fall in damp waves around a small, pale face. They spill across the surface of the lake like black ribbons, stirred by minute currents. Barely healed scars peek out from behind the patch obscuring the missing right eye. This tender, puckered skin covers the right side of his long, tantalising neck and extends diagonally across his chest, disappearing into the lake along with the rest of his lithe form.
But what attracts those goldens the most, is that depthless, ruthless eye that seems to ensnare his very soul with callous regard. The deeper he falls into the depth of Rin’s gaze, the more he loses all sense of himself. In a way, he might have an inkling of what being a Rose means. The obsessive, mindless control that another has over your very soul. Jun knows helplessness – wonderful, churning rapids that batter his body and pushes him over the cliff.
Rin flushes under that intense stare and he turns his head, hiding the scarred side of his face. Both hands curl into tight fists upon Jun’s chest. “Don’t look at me like that,” he mumbles, eye growing hooded and dark. “I can’t stand it.”
But instead of easing, the lord’s gaze grows twice as heavy, goldens simmering with abstruse emotion. “Rinnie…there is nothing to fear…” He brings a hand up to the raven’s chin, to grasp gently and tilt back towards himself. The raven’s lips quiver.
Fingertips lightly graze those scars, the warmth of Jun’s touch leaving painful tingles across his cheek. “Don’t…” Rin’s voice shakes, his breath hitching with every graze. His eye turns misty as a desperation grips and suffocates his heart. He grits and bares his teeth, expression crumpling like wet sand.
With surprising force, the raven snatches Jun’s wrists and slams them into the boulder behind. He keeps the lord pinned and cuffed, unsteady breaths seething through clenched teeth. The confused look Jun gives him is oil to the fire.
“I said, don’t,” Rin snarls, sharp lines of rage carved deep into his face. “I don’t want your touch. I don’t want your reassurances nor your pity. I know what I look like. I know how it feels. You don’t have to force yourself, so just…don’t.”
Jun is silent and calm, even as his wrists throb with pain. He never once breaks his gaze. “I do not pity you. And I am not using empty words to reassure you. Everything I say is true and sincere. You are beautiful. You always have been and you always will be. Like the wound on your back, these wounds are who you are. They are an attest to your strength and courage. The part of you that I admire the most.”
The lord leans forward, though iron grips keep him pinned to the boulder. He brings his lips to Rin’s cheek, planting a tender kiss upon the damaged skin. Rin visibly trembles and pants, eye flinching wide in surprise. “Why…?”
“Yes?” Jun rumbles, planting another kiss upon his eyepatch.
Sable lashes flutter and quiver. “Why are you the only one…?” But he can’t finish his sentence. With a stuttered intake, Rin presses himself against the bigger man’s body, their lips meeting for a deep kiss. Brows tilt in want. Tears collapse over the waterline, rolling down his unmarred cheek. His thighs squeeze tighter around Jun’s waist. Twin grips near crushing, sure to bruise.
Water laps around their heated bodies. Their yearning runs deep.
Gasping, Rin unwinds his legs to stand upright. He releases an abused wrist and reaches between Jun’s legs. The face that’s raised to the lord’s is ripe and tender, swollen lips parted to free shivering breaths. Urgent fingers tug at the bottoms, freeing the lord’s generous girth. It’s already hardening under his hand, twitching and throbbing with every explorative touch.
Jun narrows his eyes and grits his teeth, head dipped low as he tries to catch sight of Rin’s fondling hand. All he sees is his own broken reflection, helpless desire tightening his expression. “R-Rinnie…” A slow, indulgent stroke from tip to base has him gasping sharply, head tilting back. “A-ah! W-What are you doing…?”
The raven licks his lips as he witnesses Jun’s strong reaction. The corner of his mouth tugs up. He winds his palm along that rock-hard length, his touch made silken smooth by the naturally lubricating water. “I’m making you feel good,” he murmurs, bringing his mouth to that exposed jut in the lord’s throat. A small tongue flicks out for a taste. The pearl bobs and rolls in shock. “Does it feel good, little lord?”
“I…I don’t…think we should…” The rest of his words are lost in a hum of pleasure as Rin rubs the pad of his thumb over the leaking slit. Jun’s mouth part as his breaths palpitate, water sloshing against burning flesh with every heave of his chest.
“You don’t think we should?” Rin increases the pace of his strokes, fingers squeezing lightly with every fluid roll of his wrist. Every pull to the head is accompanied by a flick over the slit. “So…does that mean you want me to stop?”
And just as Jun feels the agonising pressure in his loins reach a toe curling peak — the strokes come to an abrupt halt, fingers firmly squeezing the base of his cock to kill his encroaching orgasm.
Jun lurches forward with a low groan, sweat dripping from his tense jaw. His eyes are molten gold with an intoxicated glaze. “I was…so close…” he pants, voice laden with frustration.
Rin ravenously drinks in Jun’s pained expression, pelvis clenching with arousal. He releases that burning rod and pulls up the hem of his robes, wrapping his hand around his own eager length. He’s already hard. The feel of his own fingers sliding around his sensitive cock causes him to shiver and gasp.
He presses his hardness flat against his belly and rocks his hips forward. The lord’s length easily slips into the gap between his thighs, motion fluid and slick. The sudden friction against his jewels elicits a breathy moan.
Every inch of their bodies touch. Their flesh melts into the other. Heat, unbearable, feverish, is all they know.
Rin cuffs the bigger man again and keeps him pinned. He begins rocking his hips at an agonising pace, the lord’s hardness rubbing against his jewels and thighs with every delicious stroke. The protruding veins and head causes mind-numbing friction, addictive and molten. His own length rubs against the other’s pelvis until it endlessly weeps desire into the currents enveloping his hungry lower half. “Uhn…fuck…little lord…you feel so damn good…”
This torture is unbearable for Jun, who strains and heaves within Rin’s constrictive grips. He’s unable to break free, forced to endure those beautiful, pliant thighs. He has never felt such intense sensations before in his life.
Plush flesh wraps tightly around his rigid cock, sliding along the entire length at a merciless pace. The taut ball of arousal grows heavier and tighter until it crushes his contracting pelvis with excruciating pleasure. Guttural growls and grunt are pushed out through bared teeth. He’s reduced to a mindless, rutting beast.
Jun plunges his throbbing cock into the addictive crevice, bucking his hips to outmatch the raven’s. The latter’s soft jewels are jostled and dragged. His weeping length riding over his pelvis is massaged between their groins.
Rin throws back his head and litters the air with delicate cries and moans, joining the lord’s voice in their salacious harmony.
Spurred on by the raven’s wantonness, Jun finally rips free from his bonds and wraps his arms tightly around that undulating body. With a tortured snarl, he grabs the raven’s pert cheeks, coarse fingers digging deep into the supple flesh as he forces Rin’s hips flush against his own. He yanks at those bucking hips, taking full control of the fucking.
Rin clings onto the beast’s shoulder with a numb hand, the other latched onto his own cock as he strokes himself closer to his end. He squeezes his thighs closer together, just to feel more of that burning rod, thrusting furiously between his legs. Those large hands kneading his cheeks send delicious shivers up his arching spine. His mouth hangs open. His every nerve is shot to pieces.
The last shred of Jun’s cognition disintegrates as he crashes into his orgasm. Every muscle contracts and shakes as waves of ecstasy slams into his seizing body. Thick spurts of cum bursts between Rin’s pulsing thighs, churned with those final thrusts as the lord rides out his end. Deep, gravelly moans roll from Jun’s mouth unfettered. He pushes his face into the crook of Rin’s neck to smother his voice.
This is all Rin needs to tumble after the lord, ragged cries echoing across the lake as he becomes untethered. In the heady peak of his orgasm, the raven reels forward and bites down onto Jun’s shoulder, marking the little lord as his own.
Ooh my oh my 🤭🤭🤭
Hehehe hope the spice was okay! Thank you for reading cloozed <333
Are we getting married?”
YES LET ME ORGANIZE THE WEDDING
Thank you for the chapter!! ❤️❤️
LOLLL deal, you can plan the wedding ^3^ Thank you for reading dondonnn <333
yummy chapter!
hehehehe ^3^ Thank you for reading curio!! <3333