Chapter Text
“Warm me up.”
That was the request the Emperor heard that night. How could he possibly deny care to the man he loved—his future husband now, as well? Dan Heng quickly disappeared behind the folding screen to remove his rain-soaked clothes. He changed into dry garments, then took several warm, soft furs from a chest and carefully draped them over the young man lying in bed.
“Better?”
Caelus was so taken aback that he couldn't even find the words to answer right away. Had his hint really not been obvious enough? Was the Emperor truly that oblivious? Could he really—
“Dan Heng.”
“Yes?”
“Do you love me?”
“...Yes. I just confessed my feelings to you.”
“And you want me to become your husband?”
“...Yes. I just proposed to you.”
“And do you know what husbands do when they're alone together in the same bed at night?”
The only thing to disturb the silence that followed was the muted patter of rain beyond the window.
Dan Heng, of course, was perfectly capable of catching even the subtlest of hints. He was remarkably perceptive. And naturally, he knew exactly what husbands did together beneath the cover of night in their bedchamber.
It was just that...
“Oh, no...” Caelus suddenly sat upright in bed, covering his mouth with one hand as a wary look crossed his face. “Don't tell me the Imperial family's customs forbid doing this before the wedding!”
“What? No, that's not it.”
“Then what is it?”
The truth was that, perceptive and understanding though Dan Heng might be, he was painfully insecure when it came to his... nature. Throughout all the months he and Caelus had spent together, he had held himself back, carefully leaving things unsaid. He had never revealed his greatest secret, because he feared frightening Caelus away—feared losing him.
And yet he had already asked him to marry him. One part of the Emperor still longed to take the coward's path and keep hiding until after the wedding. But another part—the wiser, more honest part—knew that it could not go on. It would be terribly unfair, even cruel, to keep Caelus in the dark until it was far too late.
Even so, he couldn't bring himself to reveal everything at once. Instead, His Majesty decided to begin from afar.
“Caelus, there's something I need to tell you about myself. Something... very important.”
Uneasy suspicions crept into Caelus's heart. They had been together for months now, and Dan Heng had always conducted himself with impeccable restraint, never once overstepping. Even now, when the moment practically invited intimacy, he seemed prepared to pretend he didn't understand. Caelus reached a deeply discouraging conclusion.
“So... you really are... impotent?”
Dan Heng's eye twitched. Not this again.
“No, Caelus. I'm not impotent. Haven't I already told you that?”
“Sorry. I just thought that since you don't want to, and—”
“Do you know what creature is depicted on our nation's flag?”
The abrupt change of subject completely threw Caelus off. Still, he recalled the image of the majestic golden dragon emblazoned upon the banner.
“A dragon?”
“That's right. And what if I told you... it's more than just the symbol of our country?”
Caelus frowned, thoroughly confused now. Was Dan Heng speaking in riddles on purpose just to distract him from the real issue? Seeing the growing frustration in his beloved's eyes, the Emperor let out a weary sigh.
“I think it's better if I show you,” he said at last, climbing onto the bed as well. “Promise me... that you won't be frightened.”
Those words were frightening enough on their own. Even so, curiosity—and the desire to finally uncover this terrible secret—won out. Caelus gave a slow nod.
In the dim candlelight, the Emperor's pale skin looked as though it had been carved from marble, his expression as unreadable as a statue's. Only the gray-blue depths of his eyes betrayed his unease. He sat on the bed with his hands folded neatly on his knees, as though awaiting judgment.
And then...
The air filled with the scent of a sea breeze. The tips of the Emperor's ears, already flushed with embarrassment, grew longer. Within seconds, translucent blue horns emerged from his head. Behind him, a long, scaled tail swept into view, gliding across the bed. And his once ordinary human eyes now shone with an otherworldly turquoise light.
When the transformation was complete, Dan Heng remained seated in silence, utterly motionless. He scarcely dared to breathe. He dreaded seeing fear or disgust on the young man's face. Instead, he saw only...
Confusion.
“Hah! I can't believe it! What a shameless lie!”
Dan Heng flinched as though the words had struck him a physical blow. Just as he braced himself to be rejected forever, Caelus suddenly snorted and continued:
“The dragon on the flag is golden—but you're not golden at all! You're... uh...” Unable to find the proper word for the color of Dan Heng's scales, he settled on the simplest one. “Not golden. Green!”
Now it was Dan Heng's turn to stare in bewilderment.
“That's... all?”
“What else?”
“That's all you're concerned about? That the dragon on the flag isn't accurate?”
“What else am I supposed to be concerned about? That my future husband is a dragon?”
Without the slightest trace of fear or revulsion, Caelus cupped the Emperor's cheek, gently stroking the translucent scales at his temple. His golden eyes were filled with nothing but love and acceptance.
“To me, you're still the same Dan Heng. Did you really think something like this would frighten me or make me turn away? I love you, you know.” His voice suddenly took on a teasing lilt. “Besides... I think those horns and that tail of yours are rather... enticing.”
Dan Heng let out a long breath of relief. Now that the fears which had tormented him for so long had finally dissolved, happiness welled up inside him. Caelus had accepted him. That was all that mattered. Then he remembered there was still something he hadn't shown him. The anxiety came rushing back.
“Actually... that's not all.” The Emperor's voice was quiet, tinged with embarrassment.
“Hm? There's more?”
Once again deciding it would be easier to show than to explain, Dan Heng gently lifted Caelus's hand from his cheek. Then he parted the front of his night robe. There was nothing beneath it. Caelus's gaze slowly traveled downward from the Emperor's face... lower... and lower... until it stopped at the level of his hips.
“Good heavens above... Two...”
All the jokes and accusations about impotence suddenly seemed utterly ridiculous. As the young man continued to stare without the slightest shame, Dan Heng cleared his throat and explained:
“This is one of the reasons I've never been intimate with anyone before. Surely you understand now why I could only reveal my true self to someone I trust completely.”
“Oh...” Caelus sighed. That single sound somehow managed to contain every emotion in the world.
The first Emperor of this land had been a Dragon God who took a mortal as a partner and founded the Imperial dynasty. Since those ancient days, the divine blessing had been passed down through the bloodline, granting the dragon's descendants extraordinary power—and bodies even more extraordinary still.
One day, Caelus will ask to tell him the full story, and the Emperor will tell him everything. But not tonight. Tonight, they were far too absorbed in one another to spare a thought for a past so ancient.
Caelus bit his lip. He had expected many things. This was certainly not one of them. Several times in the past, he thought he'd noticed something odd in Dan Heng. But he blamed it on his imagination. Who would have thought it would turn out like this?
The initial shock gradually gave way to curiosity... and a growing excitement.
Every unfamiliar part of his beloved's body looked so fascinating, so inviting, that resisting the urge to touch was impossible. He reached out again, this time more hesitantly, silently asking permission. When Dan Heng gave the faintest nod, Caelus immediately wrapped both hands around the beautiful translucent horns. Their surface was smooth and cool beneath his fingers, like polished glass.
“So beautiful...”
The tips of the Emperor's ears, already red, flushed an even deeper shade. For the first time in his life, someone was complimenting his true appearance. Unfortunately for him, his embarrassment was now impossible to hide. His pointed ears peeked out from beneath his dark hair, and Caelus couldn't resist chuckling as he poked one of them with a finger.
“My Majesty... you're adorable!”
Dan Heng wanted to protest, but held his tongue. He still felt guilty for hiding the truth for so long, so he decided he would let Caelus tease and play.
For now.
Meanwhile, the young man's nimble hands had already abandoned the horns in favor of the tail. Caelus ran his hand over the gleaming blue-green scales in fascination, then gave the fluffy tuft at the end a playful tug with a cheerful laugh. The tail was undeniably pretty... Though it also looked rather heavy and clumsy.
Caelus did not dare explore the last new parts of this body right away. After all, it was his first time as well, and he had never been with anyone before! Unlike Dan Heng, he did not even have any noble excuse to justify his inexperience. Ashamed of his own lack of knowledge, he decided to place the responsibility into more reliable hands. Dan Heng might have been just as inexperienced as he was, but was His Majesty not naturally gifted in everything?
Caelus leaned back against the pillows once more and threw off the blankets.
“Dan Heng, I’m still cold.”
This time, Dan Heng no longer pretended not to understand the hint. Slowly, he moved closer and leaned over the young man who was obediently waiting for his touch.
At last, he was allowed to look and to touch. For so many nights, he had tormented himself with pointless fantasies while watching Caelus asleep in his bed. He had fought against the ancient beast within him that demanded he claim this person as his own. He had dreamed of the day when all secrets would become a thing of the past, and he would finally be able to allow himself more than simple kisses and innocent embraces.
And now that moment had arrived. Caelus lay beneath him, bare and ready. His pale skin seemed to beg for a few reddening marks. His thick, full thighs were finally no longer hidden beneath layers of clothing. His soft stomach and chest longed for kisses.
And that was exactly what Dan Heng did. First, he pressed his lips to Caelus’s slightly parted ones in a tender, almost chaste kiss, as if giving him one final chance to change his mind. But both of them had wanted this for far too long, and neither intended to stop. So he moved lower, covered the pulsing vein on the slender neck with his lips, gently grazed the sharp collarbones with his teeth. Then rested his cheek against the warm chest, right where the heart of the person he loved was beating faster and faster. That rhythm mingled with a quiet moan when Dan Heng bit the tender skin around the nipple and then soothed it with his tongue.
Perhaps he was already losing his mind from desire, but Caelus tasted sweet. Dan Heng remembered the peach Caelus had shared with him when they first met. The same sweetness.
Caelus’s breathing grew uneven as he tangled his fingers in the long dark strands of hair or grasped at the transparent horns. Feeling another person’s touch upon his body was so pleasant that shame and uncertainty slowly began to disappear. He knew Dan Heng would accept him, just as he had accepted Dan Heng. They were both about to experience true intimacy for the first time, and therefore he needed to forget his fear and simply surrender to his feelings.
Dan Heng’s usually cool hands were now warm, carefully and gently exploring his body, though with every passing minute they grew bolder. They traced his sides and legs, squeezed his thighs, brushed through his hair. Caelus knew that Dan Heng would never hurt him, and so he allowed himself to relax and trust him.
And when the desire grew stronger, he himself began wanting to be braver. He reached for another kiss first and allowed his own hands to wander, tracing the muscles of the strong back before teasing the tip of the dragon’s tail with light touches.
Burning with heat and intoxicated by desire, he obediently spread his legs wider when Dan Heng settled between his thighs.
“I promise I’ll be gentle,” came the hoarse voice.
“I know.”
Dan Heng desperately hoped that Caelus would not notice his own nervousness in the heat of passion. His inexperience and his natural desire had become a dangerous combination. Because he wanted to pounce on the enticing body before him and never let go for several days, yet he was too afraid of causing harm. Therefore, he acted with excessive restraint, despite the fact that Caelus was already raising his hips in silent invitation.
The scent of floral oil filled the air. Caelus gave a quiet gasp and closed his eyes, growing accustomed to the new sensations inside himself. Dan Heng’s long fingers, which had always handled a brush so skillfully, now proved just as skilled at caressing him. Touches that had seemed strange at first soon became something he desperately wanted and needed. His breathing grew even more uneven, a sheen of sweat appeared on his forehead, and his body moved almost on its own.
“Dan Heng… Now… Please…”
“Just a little longer. I don’t want to hurt you.”
Sometimes Caelus even regretted that Dan Heng was so righteous and noble. At that moment, when he was burning with anticipation, it would have been better if His Majesty showed even a little selfishness for once. But Dan Heng refused to give in, distracting him with kisses and gentle words. Caelus began shifting impatiently, and then he was able to confirm that his recent assumptions had been wrong: the dragon’s tail was not heavy or clumsy at all. It was quick and agile, wrapping around his waist and making him lie still.
And only when, after many long minutes, Dan Heng was satisfied with his preparations did Caelus realize that it had all been worth it. For in a state of complete arousal, his beloved looked rather… impressive. Caelus felt another wave of uncertainty wash over him. The part of his mind that had not been clouded by desire was deeply concerned.
Dan Heng noticed the nervous glimmer in the golden eyes and hurried to reassure him with a brief kiss to his forehead.
“Don’t worry. I won’t use both.”
“As you s-say…”
Those words noticeably calmed the young man. Yet the part of his mind clouded by desire immediately produced a reckless thought. Will the day come when he can handle both at once?
Biting down on his tongue hard enough to keep himself from losing control at the final moment, Dan Heng adjusted his hold on Caelus's hips and pushed inside his heated body. A long, broken moan became his reward, and he too allowed himself a blissful exhale. The moment when two bodies became one was so sweet that he wished he could make it last forever.
But the insistent shifting beneath him reminded him exactly who he was dealing with. Caelus did not like waiting. And now Dan Heng surrendered to his impatience, beginning to move and gradually increasing the pace.
Outside the window, the thunderstorm still raged, drowning out the cries and moans coming from the imperial chambers. The damp, cold air seeped into the room, but was immediately warmed by the heat of two intertwined bodies.
Caelus thanked the gods for granting his beloved dragon-like features, because those beautiful horns were serving as support for him now. He clung to them and pulled at them while Dan Heng covered him with the weight of his body.
Dan Heng, in turn, thanked the gods for blessing his beloved with such wonderfully plump thighs, which were so pleasant to hold.
They were both far too overwhelmed and aroused to hold back for long, and reached the peak of pleasure almost at the same time. Caelus trembled, finally feeling the desired warmth inside. Dan Heng growled like a beast, and bit the junction between his shoulder and neck, eliciting another sweet whimper from Caelus.
The moans faded away, and for a while the only sounds in the room were the rain outside and their heavy breathing.
Dan Heng pressed himself against the other’s damp chest, catching his breath. Caelus lay limp beneath him, too softened by pleasure to say anything. But Dan Heng would not have been himself if he did not make sure of his beloved’s condition.
“Caelus?”
“I’m okay…” came the weak but satisfied reply. “I'm… fine”
They remained like that in silence for a little while longer. Until Dan Heng once again tasted peach on his lips. One of the peculiarities of his divine body was its insatiable nature. And it had nothing to do with food. And now, having finally experienced the taste of intimacy with the person he loved for the first time…
Dan Heng realized that one time was not enough.
Caelus felt it too when something firm pressed against his thigh once again. And although he had not awakened any divine insatiability, something else had awakened within him. The essence of a mortal who was no less insatiable, dormant until this very day.
Their eyes met, and they both unconsciously broke into knowing smiles.
Another crash of thunder drowned out the next loud moan.