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The rumble of the earth slowed as the rocks settled into place, only a few pebbles rolling over the rubble that had covered the entrance they'd just passed through. They were trapped, but at least they were safe. The enemies hadn't had time to follow them before Liu Yu had brought the ceiling down upon them, they would have been lucky to escape the falling rocks let alone follow them in.
There was no sound except for Nine and Liu Yu’s harsh breathing, adrenaline still high as they both slowly accepted that they were out of danger. For now. The only light in the cave came from Liu Yu’s hands, and that slowly faded as his magic withdrew and let the water sink back into the earth, ready to be called upon again the second Liu Yu needed it.
It was so quiet that a sudden ‘ding!’ made Nine flinch.
(Bzzt-! Bzzt-!
User! There’s a new mission available~! :D
You can strand Protagonist: Crown Prince Liu Yu and earn-)
No! Go away!
Nine quickly pressed the decline button as fast as he could, in a move as natural as he could make it. Unfortunately while those around him could not see the system itself, they could certainly see Nine interact with it which had led to some interesting… situations Nine would rather not dwell on for long.
Thankfully with one last ;-; 3 the system disappeared from wherever it came from, not to reappear until it had another stupid mission to try and coax Nine into following this dumb plot. Not that Nine had to do them, nor had he been for months now. Between realising there was barely, if any, punishment for declining a mission (an angry face wasn’t a good punishment, system!), and no repercussions for not following the plot, Nine had just stopped accepting any.
The wonders of being a random npc, only there to hang around in the background while the main characters did their thing.
“We should be okay for now.” Liu Yu said lightly, the slight tension around his eyes the only sign that anything was amiss. His footsteps echoed as he moved closer to where Nine was sitting. “But I don't know where the rest of our party is, and we might not find them until…”
Until it was too late, Nine finished silently.
Crown Prince Liu Yu, the one that the narrative bent around. Any incident, big or small, involved him in some way. And it wasn’t even the small stuff!! Assassinations, petty politics, slander, if something could happen to him to add misery to his life, it did. So Nine had thought no way! That wasn’t fair! What the hell, system?! And had done his best to befriend Liu Yu, to the annoyance and ever ending despair of the system.
It had gone a lot easier than Nine had thought it would, what with him being an NPC - in other words not important - and Liu Yu being Liu Yu (he’s gorgeous, okay?! Nine had never seen a prettier person in his life. Not to mention he was a, you know, Prince!).
But that had had the unintended consequence of, instead of mitigating any plots thrown Liu Yu’s way, Nine had ended up dragged into them too. Better than Liu Yu going through them alone, but not the ‘i’ll stop them in their tracks!’ Nine had been going for.
Yet, even with all the work he'd put in at befriending Liu Yu, the system still tried to drag him into the ‘betray Liu Yu and crush his trust in everyone and everything and etc etc etc’. What had the original story even been about?! If Nine knew what the plot wanted - either Liu Yu's death or just his unhappiness - it would be a lot easier. Nine would still hate it and argue with the system, but at least Nine wouldn't have to worry about Liu Yu dying if he knew what the system wanted!
But that would mean the system actually had to be useful!
(System: ;-; 3)
Liu Yu sat down next to Nine, the ever graceful prince gone as he let go of decorum and tucked his head onto Nine’s shoulder. “I’m sorry,” Liu Yu said, voice hoarser than it had been only minutes ago. “I-if it hadn’t been for me, you wouldn’t have to-”
“Baobei,” Nine said, laying his own head atop Liu Yu's and cuddling into him further. Apologising, because the plot decided he’d been too happy for half a second too long? Again, at that? Liu Yu! It wasn’t your fault! “Did you mean for us to get attacked and trapped here? No? Then I don’t think you have any reason to apologise, right? Unless you did plan this to get me all to yourself! Baobei, you didn’t have to go through all that trouble!”
The soft, huffed laugh did little to sooth Nine’s worry over the situation, but it was nice to at least get Liu Yu out of his own head and stop blaming himself for something beyond his control.
“Not that you aren’t worth the effort, Xiaojiu.” It always gave Nine a little thrill to hear that name from Liu Yu, to know that even in this strange new world, he could have that closeness with somebody. With Liu Yu, especially. “But I think I would have planned something a little different, when I’d next wished for time together.”
“This isn't so bad!” Nine said, and meant it. Nine and Liu Yu had been thrown again and again into situations meant to cause misery and tragedy that they hadn't had much time to just be together, even being trapped in a cave after almost being killed was a welcome change. A small little slice of time to just breathe and be with Liu Yu. Not Nine’s perfect day, but it was a day where Liu Yu was alive and they'd survived the danger, so that made it an okay day at the very least. “We're okay and together, what more could I want?”
“You deserve better than being trapped in a dark cave after being attacked, Xiaojiu.” Liu Yu said, voice hush but no less full of emotion. “If I hadn't asked you to come along, or if I'd noticed them sooner or if…” Liu Yu trailed off, and Nine didn't have to see his face to know the upset that would be there. It was clear in his voice.
The weight of the world crushes him, but as the Prince Liu Yu rarely lets the world peek in, and yet Nine wants nothing more than to take some of that burden and let Liu You breathe. If anyone deserved better, it was Liu Yu. He deserved so much better than what this stupid plot gave him.
“Anywhere would be okay if I was with you, baobei. There's no place I'd rather be than by your side.” Nine said, taking hold of Liu Yu’s hand and cuddling into him further, as if they could get any closer than they already were. “We could be home now, or in the middle of another battle, and I'd still want to be by your side. Always.” The pleased sigh Liu Yu gave in reply warmed Nine, and the soft brush of lips against his neck made his breath catch, and still made him feel like butterflies had invaded his stomach.
But when didn't he feel butterflies just by being around Liu Yu?
Liu You twisted his free hand, a brief flash of light allowing Nine to see the elegant fingers. The stark blackness of the cave was broken by the appearance of twinkling little lights, they fluttered about the room as if they were alive. Though the ground was still cold and hard, and no doubt the enemy was just outside somewhere planning who knows what, the little lights added a certain sense of safety to the air. A cocoon of warmth that Nine knew came from Liu Yu’s magic, it had always made him feel safe.
Only knowing that it really was a little trick, barely anything, stopped Nine from scolding Liu You for using more magic.
“I’ve sent a few of them ahead to scout the area.” Liu Yu murmured, voice slow and soft, right on the edge of falling asleep and fighting it. “We shouldn’t stay here long, there might be more enemies about. Once they return we can go look for better shelter. Or meet back up with everyone, if they manage to find them.”
"Or we could stay here a little longer while you sleep? You’ve used a lot of magic, baobei." Nine nuzzled the top of Liu Yu’s head, worry only increasing at Liu Yu’s flushed cheeks, and the heat emanating from him.
Liu Yu had used far too much of his magic to keep them safe when they'd been attacked. Nine had tried his best to help but with his rocky relationship with magic control there wasn't much he could do without being in the way. It made him feel so useless, only able to watch as Liu Yu drove himself further into a crash…
Nine swallowed and pushed the thought away, unwilling to linger on the thought when Liu Yu needed him. Nine might not be able to help when it came to magic, but he had his own ways of helping out.
Liu Yu hesitated, caught between moving on to keep them safe and giving into his body's need to sleep. Nine couldn't do anything but smile, long used to Liu Yu's ways of pushing himself to the brink.
"Please, for me?” Nine wasn't above putting and batting his eyes, if it got Liu You to listen. He needed rest! “We won't be here long, I'll keep watch. We have to wait for the scouts to come back anyway, you could take a little rest while we wait."
Thankfully, after a few more moments of gentle coaxing, Liu Yu agreed. "Wake me up when the scouts come back, Xiaojiu? We shouldn't stay here any longer than we need to."
Nine hummed in agreement, gently nuzzling the top of Liu Yu's head. It didn't take long for Liu Yu to fall asleep. The little lights edged closer, enacting Liu Yu’s desires when he wasn't there to hold them in check. Nine smiled when they landed on his arm, and settled into his hair.
Nine closed his eyes to just enjoy the moment, this sweet little reprieve from the world outside. Nine's heart felt so full that it might burst, but he’d learned the hard way not to become complacent just because everything was perfect.
System, Nine thought, unwilling to say anything out loud that might wake Liu Yu up.
(System: the system is offline. Try again later :>)
System! Come on! It often got like this, sulky and sullen like a child that had been scolded when Nine argued with it. It tended to ignore him then, not that Nine took note of it. He welcomed it usually since it meant it wouldn't push shitty missions about abandoning or betraying Liu Yu at him. However it was incredibly frustrating when the system ignored him in the few instances he actually needed it.
(System: the system is offline. Try again later >:3c)
Nine bit back the curse, if only for Liu Yu’s sake. The minute he was alone he'd tell the system what he truly thought of it, and thinking it wouldn't be the same as shouting it!
The little glittery lights drew even nearer if possible, as if to comfort him. It left the edges of the cave dark, but Nine always loved being surrounded by Liu Yu’s magic. A cocoon of love it felt like.
“I love you too, baobei.” Nine murmured, brushing the top of Liu Yu’s fluffy hair with his lips. Their hands, which had been desperately holding each other while Liu Yu was awake, had drifted apart as Liu You fell deeper asleep. Still, their pinkies kept them connected, a makeshift pinky promise. Nine hadn't swore upon one in years, but…
Nine locked his pinky around Liu Yu’s a little tighter. It wasn't an unrealistic promise Nine made, but an oath that Nine felt to his very bones. Nine was a small part of this strange world, insignificant in the grand scheme of things, but when Liu You looked at him with a smile Nine felt ready to battle a hundred armies. Nine felt ready to battle a world, just to make it see that Nine wasn't going to let it take the only thing Nine had.
I'll keep him safe, Nine said to the world. I don't have much in this world, but I have him, and I'll keep him safe.