It was a rather warm spring day, yet Xueye still found himself pulling the extra robe he'd thrown on loosely just a bit more snuggly around him. The motion didn't go unnoticed by Yushi and Jinse, who exchanged looks. Jinse reached over and tapped Yushi's arm to weave his qi into Yushi to initiate a telepathic communication between them.
"Did Shizhe tell you about Xueye's blessing?" Jinse asked through the newly established connection. Yushi simply nodded in response. "About the drawback?"
Yushi's expression contorted, equal parts confusion and concern flickered across his face. He knew that Shizhe did have her own issues when it came to verbalizing her visions. He felt foolish to not consider that Xueye would also have one.
"Doesn't surprise me…" Jinse suspected that Shizhe kept it from Yushi to keep his protective nature at bay. While Jinse could just take some of the excessive good fortune that came from the dragon without him knowing, Jinse still needed Yushi to know the risk if he was going to try and gain his trust. "I've a request of you, but things could get troublesome for you. You can respond in this way, ask me anything as I try to inform you. Just focus your thoughts my way and I'll hear it."
"Go on," Yushi tried as Jinse suggested.
"Xueye loses good fortune in exchange for his calming aura. I use my magic to ensure he never runs out. In fact I gave him quite a bit yesterday, he should have been set for a month give or take a few days. However, overnight it vanished. He has none at all."
"Is it what caused his dream?" Yushi's expression darkened further. This threat he couldn't shake the feeling was around had him on edge.
"Likely so, but I'll let you know more about my thoughts on that later. The sooner I fix his lack of good fortune the better. I was hoping you would be willing to spare some of yours so he doesn't meet some miserable fate before I can skim more from the patrons of my establishment." Jinse had never let Xueye completely lose all good fortune. He was terrified of the consequences considering the times he'd seen Xueye experience when it was simply lower than most. "It may cause you problems though."
"Take what you need," Yushi responded without hesitation or trepidation.
"Not even going to listen to what it might do to you?" Jinse smirked, impressed at how heedless Yushi was for his own wellbeing when it came to Xueye. It bode well for their discussion tabled for later.
"It doesn't matter, he needs it more. If I run into a little bad luck, I couldn't care less, as long as he's safe." Yushi's eyes drifted back to Xueye. He'd give Xueye every bit of it if it meant he could avoid some terrible misfortune.
"Very well," Jinse held his hand out towards him behind Xueye, giving Yushi one last chance to back out. "You have plenty to spare and it isn't as though I will drain you completely. It is possible that the shift in fortune will give you little inconveniences. You sure you can handle that in your line of work, Your Highness?"
"Shut up and take it already," Yushi rolled his eyes, placing his hand on Jinse's. He suspected that Jinse knew the truth about him but it annoyed him to know all his prying sometime back had just been a test.
"Don't say I didn't warn you," Jinse smirked, drawing some of Yushi's good fortune into himself. As Jinse started withdrawing it he realized the full extent of Yushi's good fortune. While he could tell from a glance that Yushi had a lot, just drawing a small portion of it was enough to replace what Xueye lost while barely making a dent. Jinse didn't take much more than that for the time being, in case Xueye was fully drained again and Jinse needed more in a pinch.
Almost as if on cue, Xueye stumbled, foot catching on a loose flagstone. Jinse was quicker to react than Yushi. Jinse's hand wrapped around Xueye's waist and pulled him against his chest. Jinse took the opportunity of contact to transfer the fortune again.
"What just…?" Xueye hadn't even had a chance to catch himself before realizing there was a warmth at his back. A glance down to see the familiar robe Jinse always wore over top of anything had him realizing who caught him."Thanks," Xueye smiled warmly tilting his head back a little, his cheeks getting a light dusting of pink. "I don't know why I'm so clumsy today."
"Don't worry about it," Jinse smirked upon seeing Yushi looking so sour that Jinse beat him to it. Jinse tightened his hold on Xueye just a little more and lowered his voice, "I won't let you fall."
"Let him go already," Yushi grumbled bitterly.
"And if I don't want to?" Jinse rested his head on top of Xueye's, the young man letting out a surprised little squeak in response.
"You really want to delay taking him to see Dr. Jingji?" Yushi raised a brow and crossed his arms. He knew full well playing at Jinse's concern the fox wouldn't be able to refute it.
"Fine," Jinse let Xueye go with a pout. "You're right, I shouldn't be messing around."
"Messing around…?" Xueye shook his head to try and shake the dazed sensation he was in. He was feeling oddly dizzy and warm, though he suspected the warmth was just the flustered feeling that he just felt. Hearing Jinse's words really snapped him out of it, reminding him of his complaints to Yushi last night. "Right… Let's go."
Jinse was left stunned momentarily and confused by Xueye's depressed tone. He glanced at Yushi who closely followed Xueye, but not before sending Jinse a disappointed glare which confused Jinse even more. He'd expected Yushi to be more angry but not disappointed. He felt like he was missing something crucial. Even as he was following after, Jinse didn't quite understand what he did wrong.
It wasn't much longer before they arrived at Dr.Jingji's shop. As soon as he learned something was wrong, the doctor shooed Yushi and Jinse off so that Dr.Jingji could do a more thorough examination. Specifically, the doctor wanted to see Xueye's scar and wanted to save Xueye the embarrassment of exposing so much skin in front of the two he had an obvious crush on.
"Thank you," Xueye said quietly once the two were forced outside and the door was shut.
"Don't worry about it," Dr.Jingji smiled warmly at Xueye. "Now if you don't mind, I would like to see your old wound."
"Sure, it's fine though," Xueye started shrugging off his robes, shivering ever so slightly as the air touched his exposed skin, just as when he changed into them. "It very rarely aches anymore."
"When it aches, is it after the usual nightmare?" Dr. Jingji asked.
"How'd you guess?" Xueye chuckled softly.
"Well, same reason for this," The doctor pointed down at Xueye's old scar where a faint trace of pale blue emanated from the scar with an almost frosted glass webbing spreading from it. "I admit I thought I had seen it briefly when dressing your wounds during your recovery but it vanished in a blink, I thought I imagined it since I never saw it again."
"What is it?" Xueye's breath quickened at the sight of it. The glow brightened ever so slightly with his rising sense of panic.
"Calm yourself, Xueye," Dr. Jingji grabbed his hand and rubbed gentle circles into the back of it. "Clearly you haven't had any issues with it prior to this to not have noticed it either."
"I rarely get out of bed before the ache goes away," Xueye took a deep breath, trying to not panic. If the doctor wasn't fretting more than usual he really shouldn't feel so anxious over it.
"It doesn't hurt now, does it?" The doctor asked calmly.
"Not at all," Xueye shook his head.
"Tell me if you feel this then," the doctor reached out and gently applied pressure near the scar that was freezing to the touch. He tried to keep his worry and uncertainty over the matter to a minimum so as to not cause Xueye to fret needlessly.
"I don't," Xueye stated much to his own surprise. Thinking about it now he didn't feel Jinse's hand around him earlier, just that he was no longer falling and his back was firmly against someone. "I didn't when Jinse kept me from tripping earlier too."
"Likely it's been numb all morning," Dr. Jingji hummed thoughtfully. "You really didn't notice this when you changed?"
"I was more worried about getting bundled up again so I didn't keep my robes off for long…" Xueye crossed his arms in front of himself, rubbing his hands along them for some semblance of warmth.
"One moment," Dr.Jingji walked over to a small closet and pulled out a blanket. The doctor draped it around Xueye's shoulders and the young man flashed a grateful smile as he clutched it around his shoulders tighter, trying to leave his stomach exposed enough for the doctor to see.
"You mentioned you felt better for a while, what helped?" The doctor asked formally. Xueye's cheeks turned bright red and his expression told Dr.Jingji all he needed to know before Xueye even spoke. He had to suppress the urge to smile.
"I… Well… Shujing arrived and made some tea…" Xueye glanced towards the door that the doctor had just shoved them out of.
"Seems like there's more," the doctor pried gently, just wondering what exactly happened.
Xueye sighed in defeat, "Being close to Shujing helped the most…"
"He does run quite warmer than usual so I'm not surprised," Dr. Jingji chuckled. "Besides, even with all the things that provide warmth, none compare to the warmth of being near someone you care for. It warms the soul especially."
"Y-yeah…" Xueye pulled the blanket up to hide his cheeks as he felt them burning.
"I'll stop," Dr.Jingji had an amused smile. He placed a hand on his chin and started thinking it over. It was clearly a magical affliction and he had very little knowledge in them.
"Just what do you think this is anyways?" Xueye asked, unsure if he wanted the answer.
"I can't say for certain just yet," Dr. Jingji shook his head. "My theory is that given the ruins you fell in, something magical came to reside in the wound. Considering it was in Vual, it's no wonder it's quite chilling. I'll have to research a bit more, perhaps ask Jinse if he looked into those ruins at all while you two were still there."
"He was always there when I was conscious. Except for when Xinhua visited…" Xueye trailed off. It was when she told him of their mother's death.
"It's unfortunate that this issue has to come around on such a day," Dr. Jingji wrapped his arms around Xueye, unable to bear the fragile look on his face. "Fortunately you have the company of those that care greatly for you."
"Mn," Xueye just hummed his acknowledgement. Feeling a well of emotions rise to the surface he didn't trust his voice.
"Why don't you redress and go speak with your brother," Dr. Jingji pulled away but didn't go far in case Xueye wasn't ready to let go. "He was looking forward to seeing you today."
"Okay," Xueye rubbed the unshed tears from his eyes before shuffling his robes back into place, beneath the blanket as he didn't want to part with the little bit of warmth around him.
"I'll bring you two up some tea after I speak with Jinse to see what he might know," Dr. Jingji moved towards the door, waiting until Xueye vanished up the stairs before opening it. Much to his surprise only Yushi was standing there.
"Is he going to be okay?" Yushi looked racked with worry.
"You heard, I assume," Dr.Jingji sighed. "It's slowly progressing, whatever it is. I just wonder what this new nightmare he's had has to do with this strong flare up."
"Another question for Jinse, he knows something about what caused it," Yushi crossed his arms as a little frustration surfaced again. "He's yet to elaborate."
"Where did he go anyways?" Dr. Jingji's brow furrowed. He expected to be hounded by them both when he opened the door.
"He didn't say, just told me that we shouldn't leave until he came back…" Yushi grumbled softly.
"Was it before or after I brought up my theory?" Dr. Jingji wondered.
"Just before," Yushi raised a brow. The implication that Jinse's hearing was as sensitive as Yushi's wasn't lost on him. He shouldn't be surprised but now he had more reason to be cautious around him.
"Unfortunate… I was hoping he knew the solution," Dr. Jingji huffed. "We'll just have to wait."
"What is Jinse?" Yushi asked softly.
"I don't know the specifics but he's certainly similar to the origin of your blood line," Dr. Jingji explained. "Much more pure I suspect but I don't have any knowledge as to what exactly he is."
"Is that why I can't stand him even though Shizhe told me he can be trusted," Yushi ran a hand through his hair.
"Quite possible. Recall I said yours is often a solitary creature," Dr. Jingji smiled sympathetically. He knew Yushi was having trouble with his instincts, even more so with the recent rainfalls.
"Do you trust him, doctor?" Yushi asked in trepidation. If the doctor did as well then there really was no reason for Yushi to mistrust Jinse. He'd just have to tamper down his instinctual desire to oppose him at every turn.
"I do," Dr. Jingji nodded. "How could I not when all he's done is protect Xueye. He even pointed me towards a better treatment idea for Qingkong. He's just doing whatever he can to keep them all safe."
"Alright," Yushi closed his eyes. "I just need to get a better hold of myself."
"Consider asking him for help with that," Dr. Jingji stated with a neutral expression.
"You're serious?" Yushi scoffed in disbelief.
"He's blended into society for some time now. He's likely your best option to figuring it out sooner rather than later," Dr. Jingji explained his thoughts behind it.
"Mrph, probably why Shizhe's been so insistent I can trust him," Yushi grumbled softly. After a moment and quite reluctantly he said, "I'll consider it."