bloodbound. (earinor & akira)

“That’s what you think. I don’t care. When haven’t I held you up?”, he laughed, amused by the dove that had found its way into his grasp and was now paying dearly for it. Magpie seemed to nice, maybe Yujin was a raven instead, standing in direct contrast to something like Richard and plucking every feather from his back out of desperation, hungry and helpless. In another life maybe, in this one he’d much rather be the magpie that stole food for them both while sharing a nest with his dove, just like right now. “And now you’re lying.” Richard had done this before and it had felt good every time - Yujin was just pent up and needy, then. “I’ll take care of that for you.” There wasn’t any reason not to - those thoughts would get into both of their ways, making it hard to enjoy something, be it Richard by his lonesome or together with Yujin. Distracting him from the topic at hand had always worked relative wonders, physical intimacy a huge part of that; entangling themselves in a sticky web of desperation and need alike was a good step in the right direction.

“Handsome, then?”, he threw Richard a bone, one he seemed so very desperate for as his hands did the rest. Yujin was hardly someone that was satisfied by just pressing skin against skin, by kissing and then lapping at one another for a little bit longer but he wasn’t cruel or selfish either. Right here, right now, all that mattered was that they both got what they wanted, with it being Richards turn now - Yujin had already had his fair share of fun. “Beautiful, maybe?” Cute wasn’t a word that one should call a man, yet Yujin found it to fit his lover mote than anything - he’d make his dove coo for him if he had to and making him sing, playing him like the delicate strings of a zither, seemed easy enough with hands that knew what they were doing, where they were touching and with lips that couldn’t be satiated by anything. As he carefully raised his hand from below the sheets, he had considered wiping it off on the first piece of fabric not part of the bed he could find, but instead went the slightly more gross and appreciative route - licking it clean, then wiping his saliva off on one of his robes that he swiftly took off and discarded, too. Afterward he lay back down again and cuddled close to Richard. “That was nice, wasn’t it?”, he asked bumping their foreheads together and grabbing Richards hand.

"You never did.", Richard answered while he enjoyed Yujins warm hands and the hot breath brushing over his skin. In a way this always felt better when he was cold like that, when Yujin simply kept him warm and heated up the air under their blanket by just being very obviously a Silessian. He used their time together as an escape and maybe it was still so, but even then, he waited for this way too long. His mind and body didn't always align, when they tried before Richard chickened out, but not today and it felt good. It also motivated Richard to get stronger again, Yujin didn't understand how important it was to him to protect him. He wouldn't let his brother, or his father mess with him. He lost too much because of his own weakness, not anymore. Richard wanted someone he could protect and why shouldn't he be able to get back to his old form? He hadn't been a match for Ares, but he'd fought plenty more battles, all of which he won and maybe he just needed to train even more, to surpass even the noble Olettian.

"Now you're lying.", Richard replied. Yujin made him feel good, made him forget most of his worries for a bit and Richard held onto him, still muffling his moans. Eventually a shiver ran through his whole body, he trembled for a moment and he saw stars at the corner of his eyes. Yujin left for just a moment, but it was enough for Richard to get cold again. Once he was back Richard cuddled up to him. He intertwined their fingers and pressed his body against Yujins, his leg worming itself between Yujins and his feet seeking warmth too. "It was. I don't know why it took me so long to try again...", he mumbled. Richard was fired up now, he suddenly wanted so many things. He wanted more of Yujin, he wanted to get stronger again, he wanted to protect him, wanted to sparr again and he felt like he could face the world. He hadn't felt like this in months, it was intoxicating, much like the first time he was here, when Yujin also made him feel again, something else than hate and anger. Richard wanted to sparr with Yujin tomorrow, or with Muhan, but he felt like both of these things would draw suspicion. "Should you sneak out...?", he asked Yujin.

“I could’ve if I went with you.”, Yujin reminded him. Wasn’t it true? He would have held Richard and his father up, maybe even would have gotten either of them killed with his stupid antics, he didn’t know. All that was obvious to him was one thing - he would’ve been more of a burden to them than Richard ever could be to him. He loved him, with all his heart, unabashed and tender, knowing he had nothing to lose, if anything at all. “Lying? I never do, not on purpose, not to you. To me, you’re beautiful like the stars on the night sky, infinite glowing splotches on watery, dark ink. Like the moon, unlike anything else on that dark expanse, radiant enough to illuminate even the darkest of nights, making every star pale in comparison. And like the sun, so bright I can’t stand to look at it for long, or else it blinds me for my insolence and daring of thinking I’m any match for its beauty. I don’t lie, I don’t mince my words.”, he continued, oddly poetic for once in his life. Was that too much, too broad of an admiration? Calling Richard but a flower swaying in gentle winds wouldn’t do him justice - he wasn’t one of many, not part of a meadow, he was unique to the likes of Yujin.

Soon, much like the kittens, Richard snuggled up to the first thing that brought warmth into his bed - he was terribly cold and thankfully for him, the man he had just proposed to was more than happy to warm him up. What came thereafter was likely nothing but this, all night long, until they both found no comfort in knowing the other had to leave and they grew restless once more. Yujin wanted to stay even when his mind told him it was stupid if he did, even when Richards cold skin pressed against his - his arms wrapped around his waist, pulling him ever closer, cuddling him. “I’m glad, I was almost scared I wouldn’t be any good anymore.”, he jokingly whispered. Embarrassment was something beyond them, Yujin didn’t want to deal with it and he didn’t want to whine about having to leave either. What mattered the most was staying close to Richard, keeping him warm, making sure he was satisfied and most of all, safe. “I’ll stay for a bit, if you’ll have me. I’ll sneak out later. Do I leave the pendant?”, he questioned gently, drawing patterns into Richards back that had neither rhyme nor reason. All he wanted was for the two of them to stay like this, intertwined like the branches of two different trees growing into one another for years, and never let go again. He knew he had to, that it was a short moment of separation between the two of them, but he still had a hard time dealing with it.

"I chose to leave alone, not you.", Richard reminded him. If Yujin had found out, if he had ran after them, Richard would have turned back, to bring him to where he was safe. At least he thought he was safe here at the time, or at least decided that his problems where the bigger ones and more important to deal with. Chasing after the dead instead of the living, how silly and yet Richard could not forget who was taken from him, even if Dayan at least was still alive. When Yujin started his poetic monologue, Richard looked up at him and in the end pinched him in the side. "You can't just say something like this.", he complained. How was he supposed to respond to something like that? How was he supposed to not question Yujins sanity and most importantly, how was he supposed to not be embarassed by it. Yujin was insane, but that was nothing new and where did he even find all those words to begin with. If anything Richard should have said something like that, as the one who proposed, not the other way around.

Richard sighed and cuddled closer. His cheeks were read and he hid his face on purpose. "I want to try more at some point...", Richard mumbled. Maybe once this whole situation here had been resolved however. Still he enjoyed this time together. "It was hidden here and you can hide it in your room just as well. I don't mind where we put it though." Nobody should know that was for certain but neither of their rooms were searched, so Richard didn't see an issue with Yujin keeping it save. Worst case he could still say he made it for Yin. "There is no use waiting for me to fall asleep by the way, I'll wake up should you leave without any clothes on. I'll freeze to death if I don't dress without you here." Yujin was considerate usually, so maybe that was his plan, but not like this, Richard didn't have enough blankets for that.

"I know.", Yujin responded. He knew well enough and it was sobbering to know that he didn't have strong enough of a pull on this man to make him stay, yet it was only obvious that something of the sort would take precedent in anyones mind over new relationships one had not yet fostered properly. There was no one to blame, even now that he was thinking about it, Richard was still someone Yujin respected and loved at the same time, thus making his opinions something valued to him. Who else could claim they had such an intimate relationship with him, something that seemed so easy on the surface and in hindsight became so hard, given the superficial nature of his character and the issues that arose by nurturing the demeanor that one part of him exhibited, that another one, buried deep within, had no use for. "I can say whatever I want.", he chuckled, knowing he was not striking a cord or brushing up on Richards ego, no, he was dismantling him, for better or for worse reasons than the one that came up when he claimed he loved this man more than anything in this godforsaken world that, at this point in time, seemed to welcome neither of them anywhere, at least not together, failing their proper duties.

Yujin firmly believed that, no matter what would really hold true in the very end, he was having enough fun for both of them at times but, at the same time, he wanted to share all of it with him. "We will. Don't worry.", he firmly spoke, believing that if only Richard put his mind to it, the two of them could achieve just about anything they wanted, as long as they had one another. Was it wrong to believe that? Idiotic? Yujin had no answer for that, but he knew one thing - he wanted it, regardless of its cost. "Can I leave it with you, then? It's not that I don't want it, but I know it's save here." Would Richard hide it? He figured Richard would, but he also knew that as much as he wanted to, if wore it now that would only lead to a plethora of issues that both of them could stand to not be involved in - it would spark ire, would separate them for good and Yujin wanted none of that, not to be apart from the only person he cared about. Finally, he grumbled, sounding less than pleased with the revelation that he knew all along. "I wish it were different. I'll leave now, okay? But ... I'm not doing it because I want to. I'd love to stay.", he sighed, knowing he couldn't without causing issues. Besides, his leg needed to be dealt with now, before it really became unbearable. In the end, he stole himself one last kiss before slipping out of the bed and putting his clothes back in order, but not before handing Richard one of his robe layers and winking at him. "Something to remember me by.", he teased.

Yujin was still the silly old him, but there was also something more mature around him now, something more serious. Richard couldn't quite pinpoint it, even in these moments where he was silly and teasing, it felt a bit different, as if he had grown up over night and it made his confession seem more real, more informed, not the ramblings of a man that didn't even remember what happened two weeks ago. Richard liked that man too, but he couldn't help but think that if he only knew all of what transpired between them, he wouldn't choose him, but apparently he did. Richard smiled at him, enjoyed the final moments together and closed his eyes for a moment. "Sure, nobody found it before either.", Richard replied, even though he would have liked Yujin to have it close, even if he couldn't wear it in the open. If Richard still had more to his name, maybe Shuren would approve of this relationship more. As it stood Richard wasn't even sure if he could live in Fhaergus, but even if he became duke, someone from Silesse probably had no use for that place.

"I know you don't want to.", Richard nodded and slowly sat up as well, grabbing his clothes to dress himself too, lest he'd actually freeze to death. Yujins warmth was missing already. He was handed one of Yujins layers, witch Richard wearing his clothes anyway, nobody would even bet an eye. Richard put it on as well. "You got nothing of me.", he pointed out and even now Yujins demeanor felt a bit different. He didn't wink at him with a big grin, all jokes and silliness, he was definitely more flirty right now. "We stay away from each other then? Keep appearances?", he wanted to ask about the plan again. They went back and forth after all. Richard would also venture to the harbor again to draw less suspicion and if he did that for a while, maybe they could just meet outside somewhere. At the hut for example. Richards old self would have just thrown caution to the wind and would have loudly proclaimed Yujin was his, as if he still was going to be king today, but that changed.

"And I know you want me to stay.", he lauded, aware they both hated to part ways. Yujin felt stiffer than usual, like the second wind in the sails of his ship had been knocked out of them once more and he had to face the sobering truth against the harsh winds of an unbraved sea once more. There was no learning from mistakes he had made in the past if he didn't remember them, but this time there was at the very least an understanding to some degree, one which he could use to his own advantage. "It's alright. I don't need anything of you, I know where to find you.", Yujin replied, sounding amused at the proposal of needing something to begin with. Nothing would ever come of trying to cling to Richard when it was best for them both to simply not be within one anothers vicinity for a while - jeopardizing another persons life for his own selfish gains not only sounded wrong, it felt the same way: Idiotic. Dumb. Stupid. "Mhm, like that. If you need me, I'll mostly be in my room - and if there's anything bother you, you also come straight to me, alright? Keep your eyes peeled and your mouth shut." Easy as pie, at least Yujin thought it was. Maybe they could skirt their own rules a little here and there, but nothing else.

Yujin grabbed Richards hand, placed a kiss on the back of it as he bend over - he was leaving, in the most kitschy way imagineable and winking at the former crown prince of Adrestia like he had to complete some intricate courtship ritual, usually observed among birds. "Rest well, dove.", were the last words he imparted onto Richard as he slipped out of his room, carefully checking first if anyone was there to keep watch. It didn't seem that way and Yujin, instead, went to his room immediately, changing into clothes more suited for bedrest, even if he had no intention of retiring right now - he hunkered down over the desk in his room instead, procuring plenty of his own books and some from the library, dragging them about as he looked for something, anything, to deal with his condition. Whenever some shadows tried to glean what he was doing, he acted like he was simply trying to figure something else out, complained of a sore throat but nothing else and spent the rest of the evening managing his pain somehow. Many of the books were less than helpful and the ingredients he had to order for his remedy hardly readily available anywhere this side of the continent - he'd made a note of them, wanted to pass them along to a boat in the harbor but discarded the thought; he had a better idea, one within reason. If it wouldn't work the other option would still present itself, but if it did, then he'd be fine to continue. Thus, he settled in for the night, sometime long past sundown - oh, how he longed to have Richard by his side as the land of dreams called out to him.

Richard couldn't let Yujin stay, he knew and he also knew not to draw any suspicions. Obviously the two of them were stupid enough to sneak into each others rooms from time to time as they did before when Richard also wasn't supposed to be here and Yujins father didn't quite like him. How rude of him, Richard didn't understand why Nayantai called him his friend and his 'permission' for them to stay here in a lousy hut away from the actual village was definitely not needed. What a prick. It was different now and Shuren probably only let Richard stay here because he thought he'd gain something from it. It was hardly a favor and the more Richard thought about it, the more he reminded him of the man that tortured him for weeks. He didn't want to think about it but Yujin was gone and the damage done. Richard got up again and warmed some water by his sole fireplace. He had his own tea leaves here and didn't need the kitchen every time he wanted some tea. He also still had water at his disposal and he decided to wash himself off at least a little bit. The cats stirred too, Yujin and him must have disturbed their slumber. Richard put two pillows down for them by the fire. They didn't like being too close, knowing it could hurt them, but they liked the warmth and rolled up there while Richard also sat on the fur on the floor waiting for his tea to be done. After he drank the tea he finally felt tired enough to try and sleep. It had been an eventful day after all.

The next morning Richard woke up early. He promised Yujin to eat more, but looking outside his room he discovered the servants didn't yet leave any food for him. He turned around and decided to take care of his plants instead. He needed to get some water first, back in his room he warmed it up a little bit before feeding it to his plants. Some of them were actually sprouting and Richard made sure to move them to the window for a little sunlight. Despite the cold it was actually sunny often around here, Richard simply couldn't leave them by the window too long though, lest they'd die again. He was careful, switching them out and putting them back near the fire when he thought they had enough sun. The cats were active too, playing around Richards feet and when he had his hands free, he played with them a little bit during the wait times.

Something had been fishy for too long, which was to say that the cadaver had been out of the water for what seemed to be a while when it started stinking up the place after all. He didn't like it when his father dragged about rats for experiments and he hated it even more when his brother acted like the whole world would start loving him, now that not a single vile thought persisted in that painfully empty brain of his. Xu hated it, much more than he hated anyone else for their wrongdoings or expressing their desires around him - to him it felt as if he could only rest when or if Yujin finally disappeared out of his life and afterward, that idiot that he called his father would follow soon enough. The other three he couldn't care less about, however, there was another thorn in his side: Richard. Not once had he thought of that man as capable, maybe once before he left for good, but definitely not once he returned, battered and bruised from the upper echelons of adrestian society for a second time. What an idiot he was, forging his way out of the spiders' web with a clear goal, only to return without light in his eyes and prove himself to be the worst thing that could ever happen to Yujin - from Xu's point of view.

Thankfully, he had a bird that loved singing, especially when he pressured him into it and Quan was, after all, an idiot like no other, firmly believing he was helping anyone that came his way by simply being the virtuous person he'd always meant to be. Xu knew how to use that, knew how to use the love he felt for him - he never cared for Quan, his dumb ideas, his love for him; Quan never saw him like that, he was but a means to an end, much like Richard should have been to Yujin, instead, they started behaving so very oddly. Someone that was supposed to never leave again left to instigate ruckus with someone that was never supposed to return - the guards sang like fine tuned instruments once he put the bait out for one of them and Quan, he sang more than anyone else when Xu stood there in the early morning hours, somewhere in his hut, towering over a figure that could barely sleep, cowering under his blankets like the blundering fool he'd become.

Once Xu ascertained what kind of carcass it was that had poisoned last nights supper, he had left the bird alone, spared its life for obeying him and screeching its long since rusted cage. As a fair exchange he'd live another day, another night and someone else would pay his dues. Long strides along the snowy fields led Xu back home, a scowl was traded in for a smile at the doorstep as the sun that chased daybreak illuminated his figure from behind - every word and every act a play none were to forget. Shuren once said he did it halfassedly, his voice like a cloth drenched in poison as he praised Yujin in his stead. Hate was a strong word, in fact, he felt nothing for the man he had to call his brother, or at least that was what he told himself. Gentle steps ascended the stairs, further up than he had been recently - a knock wasn't necessary, he wasn't here on offical business anyhow. Xu strode across the length of the room in the blink of an eye, thinking about what he'd use - a pillow, a knife - maybe even his hands? No, there was something else right in front of Richard. "You're quite the fool.", he reprimanded Richard as he grabbed ahold of him - as lofty as a feather as he was - and spun him around to look into those stupid eyes of his. "You really think I wouldn't notice." A chuckle chased after his words, like a wolf after a lone lamb. "It's time to pay up.", Xu announced as he lifted Richard, pushing his back against where the window was. All that was left to do was to let him fall.

Richard was happy about how the night went, about reconciling with Yujin and spending time with him, especially like that. He was so stupid and weak for just letting him go and maybe it was the guilt and regret that made him chase after Quan the day before. He's also been stupid for not letting Yujin closer. Why was yesterday different? Was it really the things Quan said to him? Well it wasn't like he understood any of it, but facing someone so much stronger than him had never felt easier. Of course he didn't want to die, but facing death hadn't been this hard. Now he wouldn't say he made a full recovery over night, but he'd been doing better for the past couple of weeks anyhow, by being forced to get up and find food or go to the baths himself without Yujin coddling him. Maybe this more stern Yujin wasn't so bad after all, maybe he'd keep Richard on his toes and fight him if he asked him to, without pulling punches, but that was somewhere in a distant future.

When the door to his room simply opened he thought it could one be one person, but when he turned around to the man grabbing him, he saw Xu instead. How rude of him to speak in a dialect too that Richard had a hard time understanding. There was no questions, nothing Richard could try and talk his way out of. Instead his back was pressed against the window sill behind him, the cliff right below him. He didn't have anything he could say and in a split second he also decided against claiming Yujin didn't know, Xu would just hear the opposite. If he was coming for Richard instead, he must have thought he could shut him up and his brother would be none the wiser. That didn't help Richard a lot however. And it took only a few seconds from when Xu entered the room to him pushing Richard hard enough for him to topple over the edge and out the window and yet he reached out his hand and grabbed the first thing he could, which in this case was Xu's clothes. It didn't stop the fall, not at all and Richard barely had time to realize what happened before he hit the rocky cliffs below his window. The sharp stones pressed the air out of his lungs as he hit them with his back. He heard a thud before his head followed just a moment later, hitting the rocks as well. He felt his vision go dark, but fought against it. His whole body hurt as if it was shattered into a million pieces, but he didn't give himself the time to even think about it and instead tried to figure out where Xu landed. Hopefully he wasn't able to move.

Xu had thought this, too, would be nothing but an easy way to get over everyhting in a swift motion - he'd rid himself of Richard, claimed the roach had simply taken his own life which was hardly something anyone would have a hard time believing and would go on with his own day. Yujin would get over it and if not, he'd join him not much later and the two of them could be reunited in death, where they could do whatever it was that they wanted. Fate, however, or the gods that cursed him for his insolence, seemed to have a different idea of what it was he deserved and when Richard had enough daring to grab him, it caught Xu offguard, which seemed to be the last thing he had any want or need for. With the blundering fool he soon tumbled downward, beyond any boundary he had thought himself to be above of. His arrogance would be the reason for his fall, a thought that came his way much too late as the jagged rocks of the cliff down below showcased themselves a formidable opponent, much better than Richard, who hopefully had no ace up his sleeve in a situation like this. Everything exploded into splinters of pain, there was nothing to cushion his fall and the air in his lungs was forcibly pressed outward. Xu hated himself more than anything in that moment.

Not yet was his consciousness fading but his body, his broken body, hurt quite a bit more than it ever should and every time he tried to move, it felt like pure agony and yet, he did move, his blurry vision looking for anything that resembled Richard on the cliffside. Xu, ever the blundering fool himself, tumbled after what he believed to be the man he just had tried to kill, came ever closer to him at a snails pace, his own body nothing if not a testament of endurance and willpower, driven by blinding hate for someone that could stand to not involve himself in family matters. "You little-", he coughed, his voice seething as his mind had to come to terms with not being able to make it. No matter how close he tried to get, no matter how hard it seemed for him to crawl toward Richard, he had to persist, had to make sure he was dead and then wait for another idiot to find him and Xu, who finally made it over, had nothing left but his hands. In a fit of rage he wrapped them around Richards throat, as tight as he could and pressed his thumbs downward, hellbent on squeezing the last of his life out of him somehow. It wouldn't work properly, his hands much too stiff and bones likely too broken to obey. "You'll pay.", the prince growled, entirely focused on Richard and making sure there was nothing left of him. Perhaps there wouldn't be if he had paid attention to the figure behind him, brandishing a wooden board.

Richard soon saw a blurry figure crawling towards him. His own body barely obeyed. He lacked strength but the adrenaline kicked in. He didn't want to die, especially not like this and he felt pain like that before, it wouldn't stop him so easily. Richard tried to lift himself up, sharp pain coursing through every single bone in his body. He was shaking as he managed to get his bearings, only to be pushed back down to the ground by Xu. He glared at him, not with fear, but anger, for trying something like this, for having the audacity to underestimate Richard. He felt Xus hands around his neck and tried to get them off. The waves loudly crashed against the cliff, sprinkling water on both of them and making the freezing cold even more apparent, a much bigger problem for Richard than for Xu and yet Richard could still breath, even though it wasn't easy. He gasped for air, his legs in search for grip slipped away on the icy cliff.

Richard stopped trying to pry Xu's hands off of himself and instead started to try and find something to defend himself with. He found a lose rock he gripped tightly. His throat hurt and so did the scar on his neck. He could barely see Xu but he swung at him anyway. Xu toppled over, but instead of seeing the castle, or the sky there was another figure holding something and Richard instinctively raised his arm to shield himself. Only when nothing happened did he look up in confusion, blinking and trying to see who it was that stood there and why. At the same time he still needed air, swallowing hurt and he glanced over at Xu too, in case he jumped at him once more.

Xu toppled over like the last vestige of life had left him but it was apparent that this was neither over nor done with. No. He'd likely only make up some weird story about how it all was Richards fault and the man that grabbed the wooden board behind him came just a second too late, now that Richard had defended himself. Yujin sighed, the tension leaving his body as he gave his brother a good kick, making sure he was entirely off of his lover first. However would he carry him back without making everything worse? He didn't know - all he knew was that he had seen too much and paid far too little attention to the happenings around them both; he'd only taken note of it when he had stalked after Xu and heard their crash through the window from beyond the door that he knew he shouldn't have waited that long. Out of breath and most definitely out of his mind, Yujin reached for Richard without a second to spare and grabbed him somehow, some way, just well enough to carry him without touching too many different spots. What did he even want to say? He didn't know, but he wanted to leave his brother right there and hope the waves swallowed him - but he couldn't.

With grit teeth he figured out a way for them to use to get back up from the cliff, eyeing Richard and what a mess Xu had made of him in so little time only once. "I'll fix this.", he gently whispered while doing his best to ascend back up the cliff without wasting too much time. Yujin knew his way around this place now, thankfully at that and maneuvred them back into the castle, no questions asked - the issue that remained was that he couldn't fix this himself and so, instead, he had to go ask his father for help. First, however, he wanted to put Richard into his bed, away from where Xu had wreaked havoc and snapped at the guards to go get their idiot of an heir. "I should've stayed.", he hissed as he tensed his entire body up just to keep steady for Richard, who no doubt hurt, likely everywhere. What was he going to do with him? Lie through his teeth to his father who'd never accept the truth? No, he had to be honest right then and there, did he not? Annoyed and out of options he pushed past the door to his own room and gently delivered Richard onto the mattress, as if he were made of glass. "You'll be fine.", Yujin assured him, not knowing if that would work out or not. For the time being someone had to go fix that window, make sure the cats were taken care of and so on and so forth. Naturally, Yujin couldn't do any of that if he wanted to stay by Richards side.

Richard only knew it was Yujin standing there when he came closer and quickly put his hands on him. For a moment Richard had feared it was Quan, who helped Xu do his dirty work once more, but no. Relieved all the tenseness left Richards body and his limbs grew weak. He took a breather without being able to process everything right now. He groaned when Yujin picked it up, but bit most of it back. He was used to this kind of, it was nothing knew, even though he didn't know how much damage was done. At the moment he couldn't locate a single point of pain, it was just all at once. He didn't question Yujin, nor did he know what his plan was, all he needed to do was stay awake and that was a hard enough task. He coughed every now and then and that made the pain in his chest only worse.

"No...", he disagreed with Yujin. This wasn't his fault, if it was anyone's fault it was Richards for being so reckless and too weak to defend himself. Richard didn't even know where Yujin was going, he recognized the icy walls, that was all. Eventually he found himself put down in a bed and the only thing he could think of was that his clothes were damp and dirty and that he ruined the sheets like this. "Had... worse...", he mumbled. He'd been whipped, his bones were broken, his head was dipped into a bucket of water and all of this mostly took more than just a few minutes. "Ti...red...", he mumbled. He was sorry or maybe it was a warning, either way, the softness of the bed, the lack of adrenaline that already made him shiver, the cold and everything else forced his eyes shut and everything turned dark.

For Richard it was but a second he closed his eyes, but when he opened them back up it was dark outside. The damp clothes had been exchanged with a sleeping gown, still plenty of layers, but less fancy than the day clothes. His body hurt less than just a second ago, but when he tried to lift his arm he groaned anyway. His arm itself was fine, but his side hurt and made him cough. One of his legs felt stiff and the bandage around it was a bit scratchy. There was also a bandage around his head. Richard didn't even know where he was, still orienting himself with only the moon illuminating the room.

Taking care of Richard was easier said than done, especially when he slipped into a state of unconsciousness - Yujin almost panicked, before calming himself down and then bolting, not anywhere but right to where Shuren was, who looked at him with about as much contempt as one person could have for another. The fact he agreed to help Richard and didn't ask questions, not when he saw guards carrying in Xu, was proof enough that something was going on or, worse, his father was just good at hiding his reaction to the situation from anyone. That, too, pissed Yujin off and soldified another thought in his brain that seemed painfully obvious to have: He wanted out of here, as soon as possible. While Shuren treated Richard first he waxed on about something and then looked at Yujin, who leaned against the wall in relative silence, arms crossed, as he watched his old man work - it seemed enough to put his old man off, who normally seemed both calm and collected when it came down to it. Not a word was exchanged between them but whenever Shuren raised his hand, Yujin handed him what he needed - his eyes were trained on his fathers movements like that of a hawk and even when he went to fix Xu back up, Yujin went with him for a bit to watch whatever it was his old man did there as well.

When he came back it was well past sundown and he sat beside Richard for a good while, brushing his hair and making sure he was laying there, comfortable and well cared for in the first place. He'd been ordering the servants around, move the kittens here, brought more blankets and made sure that someone heated them up first before he gave them to Richard. Did he worry too much? Maybe, but at this point that mattered little - he'd kill his brother and he didn't need anyones permission for that. At least for now he stayed away from it, Richard was more important than that ill-mannered freak and as he moved around to play with the kittens, something finally stirred - well, someone. "How do you feel?", he asked Richard, poking his head through the partially closed curtains. "Does it hurt a lot?"

Richard was incredibly happy hearing Yujins voice and soon enough looked to his side to see Yujin poke his head in. "Why are you not next to me?", he grumbled, trying to make light of the situation. At this point it was probably useless to keep appearances anyway, so why the hell did Yujin not cuddle him? Turning his head though was a mistake. His neck felt stiff, his throat hurt and when he moved too much a sting ran up his spine and it felt like a nail was hammering into his brain. The question about his pain didn't come as a surprise. "No.", Richard answered, then retracted his statement. "Well yes... but I've... kind of gotten used to this." It was nothing he couldn't handle. His wounds had been treated but that didn't take away the pain in that Olettian torture chamber. It hurt, it hurt him to move, but he wasn't paralyzed by it and he didn't feel like whining about it.

"What about your brother?", he suddenly asked. He didn't know what happened to him and he wasn't sure if he hit Xu or if Yujin got him, but either way, he looked knocked out... or worse? Richard didn't intend to kill him, he didn't want to kill him, in fact he didn't want to kill anyone anymore and even if he did, it wasn't his life to take, even if the consequences wouldn't matter. Richard tried to make sense of all this, he tried to figure out what he was thinking and feeling but everything felt like a big mess and nothing made sense. All his thoughts just swirled around in his head and he couldn't catch a single one. "It's... kind of hard to talk...", he told Yujin. His voice felt scratchy and swallowing hurt, aside from that, his lungs didn't seem to get as much air as they should.

A joke? Now? In this condition? His dad always said if he could make a joke or two, he couldn’t be feeling that bad but Yujin was quite aware Richard probably looked worse than he actually was off. “I had to hassle the servants, someone has to keep you warm with no fireplace or hearth in sight and I didn’t want to leave you out of sight. Besides, the kittens were a bit fussy about being here, too. Are you cold?”, he demanded to know right out of the gate - Yujin wanted to make sure his fiancé was as good off as he could be. At the same time he should be honest to him. “Father fixed you up, I know what to do when you need a bandage change, though. Sorry. He didn’t say much of anything, he just … fixed you up.” Ascertained what was wrong, too and left them medication according to what he assumed Richard would need. Yujin was capable enough to take over from here on out, he knew that much himself. “That’s not great. Where does it hurt? Do you want a painkiller?” A massage would only make it worse, even though Yujin was good with his hands.

“Kicked him off of you, then left him there. He’s okay, probably better off than you, that bastard, but father has him locked up in his room, since he can’t behave. It should give you some peace of mind.” Something else would as well, but Yujin could hardly move Richard to another location so soon - he desperately wanted to, for good reason. If only he had been enough of an asshole himself to leave his brother for dead. “It’s okay, I can try yes or no questions again. Hungry? Thirsty? Nod if yes, shake your head if no.”, he offered him, trying his best to calm himself for a second and sit down next to Richard, on the edge of his bed. Everything ought to hurt and moving him into a big fur pile was not the smartest move. Still, it was worth a try. “I’d like to move back to the hut with you, would you like that?” Yujin seemed relieved but beat at the same time - he was tired, so so tired and even now he looked out for others over himself, as was his nature. Killing Xu came later, but it would happen soon enough - his kindness would be repaid the only way it should have been years ago.

"Yeah you, by being under my blanket...", Richard mumbled half jokingly. Apparently Yujin brought the kittens over, which made sense, Richards room was a crime scene and no place for them, or Richard. "I am cold, but it's alright..." He wasn't used to not having a fireplace. Yujins room, which he assumed he was in, was much colder. He spent the night here before, but with Yujin by his side after all. "That's alright... what's the official story then? Why were you even there...?" Now that he thought about it it made little sense. Yujin just appeared out of nowhere. "Also bandage change...?", he wondered. He didn't even know how hurt he was. It was painful to raise his hand to his head, so he didn't, but maybe he had more than a bump there. Hopefully not an open fracture? "Uh... my head hurts and my neck, my back too, uhm... most of my body. My chest is probably the worst?" His ribs to be specific. "If I want painkillers depends on what kind..." Not the ones Yujin stopped taking.

Richard sighed. "So I'm not blamed then?", he wondered. Stories could quickly shift, like with Quan. Xu was so sure of himself, which probably meant Quan was telling on him after all. "Uh... moving my head might be even worse.", he admitted. It hurt and his neck hurt too, he rather kept it still, even only slightly turning to look at Yujin was painful. When Yujin sat down, Richard wormed his hand out from under the blankets, asking for Yujins to hold. His next question came a bit out of nowhere. "Is it... safe?" Not that anybody in here was protecting them, evidently. "I'd rather be there than here, but... I'm not going to be any help, much less like this..." He couldn't put this much on Yujin and besides, he didn't want to be alone there when Yujin had to get food or firewood.

"My dad always said I can't be doing that bad if I can still joke around.", he teased in return, knowing that they both had much more than they bargained for on their little plates. To put any blame on Richard would feel wrong, much like his father would argue that no matter what, if he stayed with this man he would incite something in this world that he didn't want. Yujin didn't care. "I'll come to bed in a bit, then." Nobody wanted Richard to freeze, even if Yujin was going to be a liability to any sort of broken bones. "I don't know what he's going to come up with, we didn't really talk. I couldn't read his expression either, but he didn't seem pleased. And as for that, I was trying to figure out what Xu was doing since he left way too early and when he came back, he made a beeline for your room. I didn't think he'd actually be this much of a volatile idiot, however." No one was save from him it seemed, not even Quan, who likely had been the object of his early morning affections before he had made an attempt on Richards life. What a lose. "In case I need to, but it doesn't seem like you're bleeding much. It's mostly internal, which isn't great, but the superficial parts is mostly bruises." A cut here, a tear there but nothing too bad from what he had seen.

"Mh. Shuren did say something about that ... and as for the painkillers. It's not the kind I would get, I made sure of that." They'd notice immediately if Shuren was trying anything funny, too - Yujin knew those things had not only made him feel sluggish but also horribly ill the first few times. Hopefully it wouldn't come to that. "Why would you be? I don't think anyone will want to release an official column to the public and if anything, I'm sure father is more mad that Xu even tried anything." That bastard wouldn't see the world with his own eyes ever again, hopefully, but Yujin knew that he most likely would be prancing around this place in a few weeks time, no issues. This entire family fucking sucked and Yujin wanted nothing more than to be away from them for good. "Open up.", he decided, bringing some powder on a thin sheet of paper up to Richards lips without even asking. What mattered was his comfort. Eventually he gave in and even gave Richard the hand he was begging to hold, granting him a smile. "The hut? Safer than here for sure." And easier to navigate, with locks on those pesky doors, hopefully. If not, Yujin would simply construct something akin to a locking mechanism. "That doesn't matter, I have an idea anyway. You'll not be useless, or alone. Does that work? If so, we can move tomorrow morning."

"I... I'm doing better mentally... as weird as it sounds.", Richard let out and added an apologetic and slightly confused smile. He was just so done with being pushed around and being scared of everything. If not for the time in Olette, maybe he wouldn't have been able to defend himself against Xu. Maybe it just made him stronger instead of the opposite. Yujin told him he'd come to bed shortly, but he still didn't and Richard could not make him. "I mean it sounds like he believes that Xu incited this. That is good?", Richard asked very unsure if that was the truth. He wasn't sure if Shuren would just read it as, that would have never happened if not for Richard. "You think he's okay? Quan I mean..." No matter what he did, did he deserve to suffer for it by the hands of Xu? If anyone was allowed to punish him it was Yujin. Quan had been scared for his life and Xu definitely had a few screws loose. "I guess I was kind of lucky..." This could have ended much worse probably.

"What about your pain then? Maybe you should take it...", he suggested. Richard was fine with enduring this. He still wasn't sure if this wouldn't end up worse for him though. "Because I'm a foreigner. Easier to blame..." He just knew how it would be spun in Adrestia. Before Richard could say anything more though, Yujin pushed some of the medicine against his mouth. Richard trusted him, so he opened up and swallowed it down. It tasted bitter and pretty disgusting overall. "Water?", he asked, to get the taste out of his mouth again. Finally he also got to hold Yujins hand. "Even with Xu locked up?", he continued asking about the hut. "An idea? Also I doubt I can move anywhere like this..." At least one of his legs was broken, but that didn't even seem to be the biggest issue.