Seeing is Believing

by Sasha L. Miller

  "I suppose," Lóng declared, rubbing his hand soothingly up and down Zhou's back. "You'll have to do something for me, though."

  "Oh?" Zhou asked, in what normally would've been a suggestive tone, but it was far too congested to come off that way. Lóng snickered at him and Zhou rolled his eyes, poking his side. "Not funny. I hope you get sick."

  "Dragons don't get sick," Lóng declared, smirking, and Zhou glared.

  "I hate you," he decided, and then promptly sneezed on the front of Lóng's shirt.

  "Ew," Lóng grumbled, but he didn't push Zhou away, just stroked his hair gently and continued to pull him along to the bedroom.

  "Sorry," Zhou mumbled, feeling too hot again. Lóng hummed thoughtfully, but didn't pause until they were in Zhou's room. He helped Zhou out of the thick, warm formal wear quickly and then tucked Zhou into bed, snickering softly over the handkerchief. Zhou relaxed, but he didn't fall asleep until Lóng crawled into bed and wrapped himself around him.

  Nine

  Zhou shut his eyes, struggling to breath evenly and not loudly. Lóng was laughing quietly in his ear, his hands moving slower but not stopping as they slid along Zhou's front. Zhou glared, smacking Lóng lightly on the arm.

  "What?" Lóng purred, pressing his lips to Zhou's cheek.

  "Shhh," Zhou hissed, narrowing his eyes. He squirmed a little as Lóng's sneaky, agile fingers slid beneath his shirt. His mother's voice didn't change in tone or pitch, so she probably hadn't noticed that the family guardian wasn't really paying attention to her monologue.

  "I am going to—" Zhou started, cutting off with a mostly muffled squeak as Lóng's fingers brushed teasingly against a nipple.

  "Going to what?" Lóng asked, sounding smug, and Zhou smacked him again. His mother paused in whatever it was she was going on about and Zhou froze, glaring more intently at Lóng when he just snickered again.

  Luckily, it seemed she was only pausing for breath, and not pausing because of suspicious noises from behind the guardian's statue, for she started up again after a moment. Something about Zhou's oldest brother and his wife, Zhou decided as Lóng kissed his cheek.

  "This is the third time this week she has come to complain about your brother's wife," Lóng divulged, his hands still and warm where they were pressed against Zhou's ribs. "Your father complains about your mother. Your brothers complain about your parents."

  "I complain about you," Zhou said smartly, almost laughing out loud as Lóng nipped at his jaw with his sharp teeth—instead of the not-as-sharp, almost-human teeth he sometimes used.

  "Don't leave marks," Zhou muttered, tuning his mother out and shifting beneath Lóng's weight. "I have to do some diplomacy training later."

  "It is my right as—"

  "If you say guardian, I will make enough noise to get mother back here," Zhou threatened, poking Lóng pointedly.

  "As your paramour," Lóng finished smugly, and Zhou barely managed to laugh quietly.

  "My paramour?" Zhou repeated, making sure to sound as skeptical as he could. "Aren't you taking liberties there?"

  "That is my right as guardian," Lóng replied promptly, kissing him before he could smack the damn dragon. Zhou made a note to get back at Lóng for that later, but let himself be kissed into acquiescence for the moment.

  The Strawberry Fairy

  Leon fought a smile as he ducked into the little wood behind the castle. His mother wouldn't notice him missing for a few hours yet, unless by some chance she decided to rouse him from the 'nap' he'd excused himself for. Hopefully that wouldn't happen—Leon had had more than enough scolding for this trip, and normally he'd be playing good boy for longer, but the lure of summer strawberries was too much to resist.

  They came out to this castle once a year, for a month, and Leon personally thought the strawberries were the best part. Ripe and lush, they grew in thick bushes in the woods behind the castle. Every year, without fail, Leon dressed in his commoner's outfit and snuck out to gorge himself.

  Though the pants were getting a little short—Leon frowned down at them as a branch scratched lightly at his bared ankle. It didn't help that he was wearing simple sandals, but he liked them so he wasn't going to protest a few scratches.

  Smiling cheerfully, Leon slipped through the trees, heading for the grove where the strawberries grew. It didn't take long—it wasn't too far from the castle, and Leon marveled that no one else had stumbled upon it yet. Pausing outside the little strawberry bush choked clearing, Leon grinned. The strawberries were at their usual peak, red and thick and making the bushes dangle with their weight.

  Wading through the bushes carefully, Leon picked a relatively clear patch of forest floor and sat down comfortably. His fingers reached for the first berry, plucking it off the stem and he sank his teeth into it. Sweet, tart juice gushed out, and Leon let his eyes shut, savoring the taste as he chewed the berry slowly. Truly this was the highlight of their stay here.

  "Enjoying yourself?"

  Leon froze, his eyes snapping open as cold, sharp steel slid along his neck to stop under his chin. His assailant was behind him, and Leon swallowed his bite of berry and hoped that the peasant guise was working.

  "Well? How are the strawberries?" The tone was conversational, but Leon didn't move, afraid that the wrong answer would leave him headless. The sword moved away a little and Leon glanced up as the swordsman circled around him, somehow managing to not step on any of the plants. He was beautiful, and Leon stared blatantly at the silky golden hair that fell to the man's waist, the slight slant to his eyes and their brilliant green color, and the soft, amused smile on the man's lips.

  "Surely you have something to say about them," the swordsman continued, letting his sword fall away and digging it a few inches into the dirt. Leon blinked, flushing a little as the man knelt down, peering at him curiously. "You've been eating them for years, after all."

  "How do you know that?" Leon asked, wide-eyed, and earned a laugh.

  "I've been watching you." Soft, gentle fingers brushed the unruly hair off Leon's forehead, and Leon couldn't do anything but stare, dumbfounded. "But I have yet to learn your name, my dear little strawberry thief."

  "Thief?" Leon repeated, then shook his head rapidly. "I didn't know they weren't—I thought they just grew here, I didn't know they were yours."

  "Your name," the man repeated, and Leon paused, keeping himself from panicking.

  "Leon," he offered, confused and unable to figure out what was going on.

  "Leon," the man repeated, rolling the name off his tongue slowly. "I am Temke."

  "Nice to meet you?" Leon offered. Temke smiled again, looking amused, and Leon did prefer amused over angry and homicidal.

  "So. Leon," Temke drawled slowly, his eyes roving over Leon's front. Leon flushed, fighting the urge to hide the half-eaten strawberry behind his back. "How do you plan to repay me for the strawberries you've stolen from me?"

  "I can pay—"

  "I have no want of money," Temke refuted immediately, and Leon wilted. He hadn't known—"Finish your strawberry, Leon. Do not waste my fruits so."

  "But—" Leon began, and Temke reached out, letting the sword stand on its own, and snagged the hand Leon held the strawberry in and brought it to his own mouth, nipping the fruit off near the stem. He managed to lick the tips of Leon's fingers quite thoroughly in the process, and Leon flushed again, wondering what Temke really wanted from him.

  Temke licked his lips free of the remnants of the strawberry's juice and Leon tried not to watch his tongue as it moved, but failed miserably.

  "Have you nothing to offer besides your money?" Temke demanded, letting go of Leon's hand.

  "What do you want?" Leon asked, wide-eyed, and a slow smirk curved over Temke's lips.

  "I want you." Temke reached out and traced his fingers along Leon's jaw. "Pretty little strawberry thief."

  "I'm not a thief," Leon protested, letting Temke's fingers play with a bit of his hair. It was odd, but he wasn't complaining.

&n
bsp; "Do you protest the terms of repayment?" Temke asked quietly, and Leon shrugged, flushing.

  "I … don't," Leon mumbled, flushing as Temke grinned.

  "Good," Temke declared, tugging him close and kissing him softly. Leon kissed back tentatively, wondering how he'd managed to go from being at sword point to being kissed in the strawberry patch, but then Temke was kissing him again—and that was not soft, but Temke tasted of strawberries and he kissed hard enough that Leon toppled over backwards, yet somehow managed to not squish any strawberry bushes, though the strawberries really did pale in comparison to Temke.

  *~*~*

  Leon crept into the woods behind the castle carefully, sneaking quick looks back at the formidable stone structure. His heart was beating rapidly in his chest, and he was half-afraid that at any moment he was going to be caught and dragged, kicking and screaming, back to the castle.

  It was only a fluke they were back at the summer castle. The snow crunched softly underfoot, and Leon fought a shiver—he was wearing the summer outfit he'd worn the first time he'd run into Temke, and it had grown even shorter. The boots he wore didn't quite cover the stretch of skin that showed, and he'd thought it warmer and had left his expensive, warm jacket inside.

  Temke had no reason to be there, Leon knew—he knew it but, he couldn't help himself. The strawberry bushes would be dead, frozen with snow and cold and without a single berry, but he had to go see. He had to find Temke and explain—it hadn't been his choice to leave so abruptly.

  His mother had deduced that he had a lover, and since there were no suitable princesses in the area, it had to be a commoner. She wouldn't hear of it and dragged Leon back to the capital and the stuffy palace there without a day's notice. Leon hadn't even had time to find out who Temke really was.

  Trudging through the winter-dead forest, Leon shivered and decided he'd make do with a simple, quick look tonight and come back out tomorrow, before they left again—they were only here because of the snowstorm. This had been the closest place, by an odd coincidence, and Leon was planning to take full advantage of it. If nothing else, he could leave Temke a note, explaining.

  Approaching the strawberry clearing slowly, Leon pushed through the trees with labored movements. He didn't want the summer haven killed off by winter's touch. Ducking his head under a low-hanging branch, Leon froze, staring wide-eyed at the bright green strawberry bushes, laden with thick red fruits.

  "How?" Leon whispered, wide-eyed as he took another step, into the clearing. There was a faint dusting of snow around, but the plants didn't seem to be any the worse for it.

  "You're a fool, highness." Temke's voice told him, and Leon whirled, startled. Temke was even more beautiful than he remembered, but his bright green eyes were cold and hard as he stared at Leon from a mere foot away. The sword was lazily hanging from his hand, and he didn't look too pleased to see Leon.

  "I'm sorry," Leon blurted out, ducking his head. "I didn't want to leave, and I wanted to tell you but I never got a chance and—and—I'm sorry."

  "Highness—"

  "Call me Leon," Leon corrected quickly. "I'm just … Leon."

  "Leon." A familiar smirk curved Temke's lips and he stared at Leon thoughtfully. "Do you want to go away with your mother tomorrow?"

  "What?" Leon blinked rapidly. "No—I want—how are the strawberries like that?"

  "Magic," Temke replied slowly, carefully sheathing his sword. "I would keep you, Leon, if you would permit it."

  "Keep me?" Leon repeated dumbly. "What do you mean, keep me?"

  "Never let you go," Temke repeated solemnly, bright green eyes warm and amused as he stepped close, barely an inch away from Leon. Leon sighed softly, wishing he could—

  "Your mother has another son." Temke still didn't reach for him, and Leon took a chance and carefully touched Temke's face, running his fingers along Temke's cheek. It was warm to the touch, so he wasn't a ghost, at least.

  "She does," Leon agreed. "How can you keep the strawberries like that?"

  "Magic," Temke repeated, smiling slowly. "Would you come away with me, Leon?"

  "I think—yes," Leon agreed, because he didn't want to leave here, ever. Temke smiled brilliantly, ducking his head to kiss Leon sweetly. He still tasted of strawberries, and Leon threaded his hands into Temke's hair and returned the kiss in kind, slowly re-exploring Temke's taste and mouth. Temke drew him closer, an arm wrapping around Leon's waist, and he pulled Leon flush against him.

  "Then you are mine, Leon. I will not let you go," Temke murmured, and moved to taste the skin along Leon's jaw. Leon nodded, because he didn't want to let Temke go either. Maybe it was odd, this infatuation over the past summer's strawberries, but Leon had spent the last six months in agony over leaving Temke and he wasn't going to let go now that he had him back.

  *~*~*

  "Where are we?" Leon asked, staring wide-eyed at the forest canopy above them. When he'd gone to sleep, it had been bitter winter, except for in the strawberry patch, and now the trees were different and bright with leaves.

  "My home," Temke replied, running a teasing hand down the bare length of Leon's side. Leon shivered at the touch, reminded that they were outside still and both without clothes.

  "But where?" Leon repeated, distracted by watching Temke's face, inches from his own.

  "It's a pocket in your world," Temke replied, his hand slipping lower. Leon shifted towards the hand, wondering what that meant. Temke's deft fingers stroked along his hip, dipping inward. Leon caught his breath, not blinking as Temke caught his gaze with an intent look that made Leon believe that they were going to end up recreating their reunion on the soft forest floor instead of in the strawberry patch, which they'd done last night.

  "I don't know—aaah." Leon cut off as Temke's fingers found and teased at his cock. "Tem-"

  "You don't know what?" Temke purred, kissing him lingeringly, and Leon decided he could find answers later and let Temke roll him onto his back and kiss him, pressing him into the soft forest floor.

  *~*~*

  "I don't get it." Leon let Temke lead him forward, through the trees. "What does it mean?"

  "It's another place, accessible through a … portal of sorts, in your world. This is another world." Temke replied easily, his hand warm and strong, wrapped around Leon's.

  "Do you have a house?" Leon asked, wondering what Temke's house would look like.

  "I have the forest," Temke said, pulling Leon forward through familiar looking trees. "You have the forest, now."

  "We're going to live in a forest?" Leon asked, skeptical, blinking rapidly as Temke pulled him into a clearing filled with strawberry plants. It looked identical to the one behind the summer castle, and Leon frowned, turning curiously to Temke. "What?"

  "You're in tune here." Temke smiled, looking all the more beautiful for it. Leon flushed a little as Temke let him go. "This strawberry patch overlaps a little with your world, but not everyone can see it. I knew the moment you picked the first strawberry, and every strawberry after that."

  "So no one else can find it or will see it in bloom in the middle of winter?" Leon guessed.

  "If they do, then we will know because no one can see the berries and not eat them," Temke explained, touching his hand to Leon's back lightly as he led him into the bushes. The plants seemed to bend out of the way as they stepped, and Leon watched avidly as he missed crushing the them step after step.

  "If you get hungry, eat a strawberry and it will sustain you." Temke knelt suddenly, picking a plump berry and taking a bite. He smiled at Leon slowly, and Leon smiled back, amused as Temke stood and held the berry to his lips. Taking the next bite slowly, Leon licked his lips and caught a bit of the juice as it ran down his chin onto a finger.

  Temke caught his hand before he could wipe it off on his pants and licked it clean swiftly, giving Leon a lingering look before he started walking again.

  "There is one more thing, Leon," Temke and Leon flushed at the tone because it promised that Temke had
plans after the 'one more thing.' Leon followed easily, doing his best to skirt the plants so that they didn't have to expend too much energy getting out of his way.

  "Here. This tree—" Temke tapped on a lone birch with a wide trunk and an obscure symbol carved into it. "To return to your world, touch the symbol and then return to the strawberry patch. The tree is also in your world, though the symbol looks like scarring there."

  "Okay," Leon accepted, letting Temke draw him closer.

  "Take me with you when you want to go back?" Temke asked quietly, and Leon smiled slowly.

  "Always," Leon promised, laughing a little as Temke's hands slipped under his shirt and Temke's lips found his once more. They were hot and demanding as Temke stole his breath and tumbled him to the forest floor again, and Leon had the inane thought that maybe they'd be doing this in every 'room' of Temke's—their, now—house.

  *~*~*

  Issac scowled at the ground, scuffing along slowly. He had a guard trailing him of all things, at their summer home. It was all that brat Leon's fault for going and disappearing, though mother had thrown an absolute fit and insisted he'd run off with some lover of his. Only all the village girls were still accounted for, and the village boys too.

  So, after recovering from her rage, mother had gone with her baby being kidnapped. And now, the first time in two years she'd deigned to come back here, he got to be followed around by a guard. Obstinately, Issac trod into the forest as they approached it, instead of walking along the edge like he'd planned to. Maybe a little mud and a few scratches would make the guardsman leave him behind.

  "Prince Issac—" the guard protested, but Issac ignored him, shoving through the trees rapidly until he managed to stumble into a clearing. There were strawberries everywhere, ripe and juicy and Issac paused—why didn't the kitchen staff know about this? He liked strawberries.

  "Prince Issac." The guard sounded more frustrated as he followed, probably getting tangled in the trees more than Issac—Issac was skinnier and shorter and probably a lot more dexterous than the bumbling guard.