The crystal shard glinted in the dim light as it flew across the room. Violet smoke filled the room and solidified into a corporeal shape of a woman. Raven’s fury was tangible as she stormed out of the smoke billowing around her. “How dare he!” she howled, sweeping a hand carelessly across her wooden work bench. Ceramic pots and various magical items struck the cold stone floor, the ceramics breaking into tiny pieces upon impact. Black smoke evolved from the pots, filling the room with a terrible smell as Raven blasted a hole into the ancient mirror that hung on the wall. The tiny figure in the mirror wailed in terror and fled deeper into its mirror world.

“Shut up!” A raven cawed in terror and with a flick of her wrist, the sorceress vaporised the creature. Her violet lined robes swung wildly as she crossed the room, the other ravens wisely keeping out of her way. The crystal shard screeched as it flew into her hand, as if displeased and she squeezed it hard, the sharp edges cutting into her skin.

“That blasted prince. I will have his head. I will tear it from his body and hear him scream! How dare he sully my darling child!” Raven raged, the air around her thickening into a vortex and sending more things crashing to the ground. The ravens squawked in alarm when they were swept from their perches and sent flying against the walls.

The sorceress lifted the crystal shard to her eye level, the surface rippling into an image of the healer’s son. She sighed, her anger dissipating almost immediately. He was a vision in that light grey wool sweater and white pants. The vortex stopped spinning and the ravens picked themselves up from where they had fallen with ruffled feathers as Raven gazed upon the young man.

“Send him a little present will you?” she called out almost sweetly as the figure in the mirror returned, tiny body and wings quivering in fear as it looked up at the sorceress. “A little dream.” Raven smirked and held up the crystal shard. The little creature took in the beauty of the young man and shook its little head with pity.

“I said, send him a gift!” The sorceress barked, startling the pixie. It nodded its head mutely and fluttered off into its little world, returning only moments later with a small black bag. Raven smiled as the bag was opened, releasing a violet tinged bolt. “That’s right. Send him a little nightmare.”

As she watched in satisfaction, the bolt floated out of the mirror and stabbed itself into the image on the crystal shard. That should do it. Raven thought. She was getting impatient; it was time for everything to unfold. Her next step would take effect in about a month; she needed to take the time to gather her strength and power.

 

-

 

Yixing laid his head against his hand weakly, nearly tipping over his bowl of fruit. He was exhausted, tired to the bone. The researching had barely picked up, even with Joonmyun’s return. That and the nightmares that plagued him for nearly two months. They were the same every night, the same woman, same last words. He always awoke in tangled sheets, drenched with sweat and shivering, and he could never truly remember the dream. He had hidden it from his father easily because they hardly ever saw each other but the two months of barely any rest was taking its toll on his body.

“Xing, your father.” A sharp nudge in his side startled him from his sleep deprived state and he jerked his head up to see his parents watching him with concern embedded in their gazes. Yifan rested a hand on his thigh and the words he wanted to convey was clear: You need to tell your father.

Yixing shook his head violently, when his vision started to swim.

“Are you alright, son?” Zhang Cheng looked at his son worriedly. He had never seen Yixing so pale and shaky in the mornings before. His son smiled but it was weak and tinged with tiredness.

“I’m fine, Papa,” Yixing murmured, picking up his fork. He blinked violently when the room blurred and set the fork down. “I’m not feeling too well. Please excuse me.” He rose to his feet, hand clutching the back of his chair tightly when a wave of dizziness hit him.

“Xing?” Yifan watched his best friend with concern when he swayed slightly, looking dazed.

“I’m okay,” the advisor insisted as he lifted his hand off the chair. The room spun violently and he felt himself lose the ground beneath his feet as his knees buckled.

“Yixing!” He heard a cacophony of voices cry out at once before everything went black.

 

-

 

Luhan nipped the grass at the base of an old elder tree listlessly. The forest felt odd, almost too quiet compared to the soft quiet he was used to. He had wandered off from his normal haunts to explore another part of the forest and the silence in the new parts made his skin prickle. He noticed a prickly thistle growing nearby and nuzzled at it curiously. The flower was a beautiful violet shade and as he opened his mouth to bite down on it, the thorns on the leaves pricked him hard, causing him to jump back in surprise and pain.

He lifted his head when the light streaking in through the dense leaves seemed to dim and the trees around him seemed more oppressing. The grass at his feet withered as a heavy breeze carrying the scent of evil and metal swept through the clearing. The stag backed away when the trees in front of him turned black, crumbling to dust. A castle made of black stone appeared in front of him, surrounded by black iron gates tipped with barbed metal.

The caws of multiple ravens filled his ears and his heart with terror. Shinwoo had warned him enough about the sorceress and her familiars to make him spin around and bolt. However, the elder trees around him closed in, dark and ominous, casting dark shadows on the withered ground. Luhan bleated in fear and darted forward, hooves skidding on the ground that was suddenly full of stones. The elder tree grew thorns, thick and wickedly sharp, enough to force the stag back.

“And we meet again, little deer.” The female voice was unfamiliar, yet familiar.

Luhan spun around as the iron gates opened and a violet tinged smoke blew out, forming the figure of a woman. The dread that coursed through the prince’s bones was crippling as he faced his greatest nightmare.

Raven smiled at the fear in the prince’s eyes as she approached him, hand outstretched.

Luhan screamed in protest and threw her hand off the moment it touched him. For that split second that he had felt it, the prince felt a cold chill run through him. Her hand had felt cold, so cold that it felt like stone. It was unnatural.

Raven flicked her wrist and the stag screamed, rearing onto his hind legs as white hot pain rushed through him and his bone structure rearranged itself, turning him human once more. His legs collapsed and he lay on the stony ground, screaming and writhing as his bones felt like they were turning into fire. His amber coat split open and with one last scream of agony, he was on the forest ground, completely vulnerable to his worst enemy.

“There we go. Much easier to have a conversation, don’t you think?” The sorceress hovered over him, a cruel smile on her face.

“What…what do you want?” he gasped, panting heavily, body drenched in sweat.

“Oh nothing, just thought I’d say hello.” Raven smirked when the prince cowered away as she moved closer. She wanted all the royals to be like that; cowering little rats with no power.

Luhan struggled to get to his feet but the forced transformation had drained him, so much more than a normal one usually did that he could only lie on his side and watch helplessly as the sorceress knelt by his head. A stone cold hand rested gently, almost tenderly on his golden hair, him gently.

“So pretty,” Raven murmured, smoothing away the hair from his forehead.

“Don’t touch me,” the prince breathed, moving away as much as he could.

“A terrible pity.” The sorceress ignored him, reaching a hand into the pocket of her robes and pulling out a shard of crystal. She whispered something unintelligible and the surface of the crystal rippled into a scene.

Luhan watched in horror as the crystal showed him what exactly would happen on the day of his twenty fifth birthday, barely two years away. The stag in the image was bolting, sweat running down his amber body, flanks heaving with exertion as he ran. The two horses galloping behind him were painfully familiar, the figures sat atop them even more so. As he watched, the man with golden hair atop the black horse pulled an arrow from his quiver, his eyes glowing violet, even as the man atop the white horse tried to stop him. The arrow was fitted onto the bow and without hesitation, the man allowed the arrow to fly. The white horse plunged forward, overtaking the black horse and the arrow made its mark… Into the left side of the man’s chest.

“No!” Luhan screamed out when the image panned onto the man’s face. It was Yixing. He was slumped forward, crimson blood blooming across his white shirt as his fingers scrabbled to grip onto the reins. Luhan could see the horror on the other man’s face, devoid of any enchantment now. The arrow dissolved into smoke and the image faded before he could realize what happened next.

Luhan stared up at the sorceress’a smirking face in dismay. “He is going to die,” he whispered, revulsion tearing through him. Yixing was going to die and he had no way of stopping it.

 

－梦－

 

Yixing was on a horse. Scorpio, his sub consciousness told him. Even when in a dream he could tell. They were galloping through the forest, the atmosphere dark and oppressing. The trees were tall and glinted like metal. They were in a part of the forest he could not recognize. The air smelled of metal and evil, the ground withered and dead. He grasped the reins in his hands desperately. He was afraid, of what he could not tell for as far as he could see, he was alone.

 

The thudding of hoof beats informed him that no, he was not in fact alone. A black Arabian came into view, its rider golden haired and tall. Yifan.Yixing opened his mouth to call out but no sound escaped his mouth. The Prince's eyes were focused on something further than Scorpio and the advisor turned to look. A magnificent stag ran in front of his horse, flanks heaving and sweat pouring off its amber coat. Its neck was arched and its eyes were wide in fear. Luhan?

 

Yixing turned back to look at Yifan curiously to see if he had recognized his brother. To his horror, he saw Yifan holding his hunting bow in one hand, both legs clamped tightly to Antares’ sides to keep him in stride and he was reaching back to the quiver slung across his back for an arrow.

 

“No!” Yixing screamed out, finally finding his voice just as Yifan notched the arrow to his bowstring. The prince paid him no mind, eyes fixed upon the stag who was tiring already, speed slowing. His eyes were glowing, Yixing realized with a jolt as he dug his heels into Scorpio’s side and urged him forward. Yifan’s eyes were emitting violet light. The curse!

 

The advisor kicked his horse hard, spurring him forward just as the arrow exploded from the prince’s bow, spinning straight towards the stag. Yixing twisted in his seat, barely registering the shock and horror on his best friend’s face, the enchantment having worn off the moment the arrow left his bow.

 

“Yixing!” Yifan screamed right before pain erupted in the left side of Yixing's chest as the arrow buried itself deeply into his flesh. The pain was so great that he saw white dancing in front of his eyes as he struggled to keep his balance. Crimson red blood was dripping from the wound, staining his shirt. Yixing's eyes fluttered and as he lowered his head to evaluate the wound, the arrow dissolved into black smoke. The world tilted on its axis and violet light filled his vision until all he could hear was Yifan calling his name. “Yixing!”

 

－梦－

 

Yifan had been sitting at Yixing’s bedside, calling his name for ages, ever since the advisor started jerking violently in his sleep. Joonmyun was on the other side of the bed, looking worried as his friend thrashed and convulsed violently. “Yixing!”

Yixing's eyes flew open and his neck jerked up in a painful position, chest rising up and down quickly as he tried to catch his breath. “Wha…What happened?” he gasped, dropping his head back against the pillow. Sweat dripped from his forehead and soaked into the white pillow.

“You out during breakfast,” Joonmyun filled in, pulling back the bed covers for Yixing to breathe. The cool air would be good for the advisor's heated skin. Joonmyun saw how his friend relaxed slightly, allowing Yifan to wipe his brow dry with a damp towel.

The prince looked so worried that Yixing could not help but smile. “I'm fine, dragon,” he teased weakly, brushing his hand gently across Yifan’s cheek.

“You fainted. You said you were okay.” The prince’s tone was accusing even though he leaned into his best friend’s touch.

“I will be. Let me up.” Yixing nudged at Yifan’s chest gently but the man would not relent.

“I'll get your father, Xing. Yifan won't let you up any time soon.” Joonmyun looked amused when Yifan gave the advisor his mock angry brows.

“Will you bring me that paper where I wrote most of the curse down too? I need to check something,” Yixing asked and Joonmyun nodded, hurrying out of the room.

“Why do you need the curse? Did you see something?” The prince asked curiously, as Yixing pushed the rest of the bed covers off of himself.

Yixing shook his head. “I…I just need to confirm something,” he said, mind whirling with words and ideas as he tried to recall the words to the curse. Yifan raised his eyebrows but did not push it. Yixing would tell him when he was ready.

 

Yixing’s parents arrived with a new bowl of iced linens and a mug of chamomile tea. Zhang Cheng fretted over his son, despite Yixing’s protests, and made him drink the tea at once while it was still warm. As the warm, honeyed tea slid down his throat, Yixing allowed his mother to coddle and nag at him, asking him why had he not spoken to his father earlier about the nightmares. His father touched his forehead, fearing a fever or a cold only to come away with nothing.

“It’s just stress, Papa. I’ll be fine after I rest for a bit,” Yixing murmured, taking his father’s hand. “I’m sorry I worried you.”

Zhang Cheng’s furrowed brow softened at that and he sighed, a huge weight rolling off his shoulders. “You should have told me,” he said, his son’s hair tenderly. Yixing leaned into his touch, eyes fluttering shut.

“Come, Cheng. He needs rest,” Liu Xing said to her husband. Looking upon his son’s pale face, the healer stepped away from the bed, gathering up the linens. Liu Xing pressed a kiss to Yixing’s forehead.

Yixing opened his eyes to smile at her. “Will you send Joonmyun to me? I need to speak to him.”

The healer frowned, “But you need…”

“It’s just for a little bit, Papa. I need to speak to him. Put Yifan to work on the research, will you? He can’t be slacking off if he’s missing lessons,” Yixing interrupted, giving his father a pleading look.

Zhang Cheng sighed, relenting. “Alright, but just for a little while. You desperately need the rest.”

 

-

 

Luhan staggered, front legs buckling forward before he managed to stand upright. The sorceress had vanished, taking her castle and her familiars with her, leaving the prince to go through the painful transformation alone. He nearly faceplanted into the stone filled ground again when he tripped over a small rock, shaky legs barely able to support his weight. The rock was sharp, slicing open the skin on his ankle. He cried out in pain, gingerly setting the injured hoof down. Limping forward, he found a small gap hidden in the right circle of thorny trees. Carefully, he squeezed himself through, the thorns and rough bark on the trees scraping across his sides and back, drawing blood.

The forest was brighter on the other side, filling the stag with relief the moment he was through. Luhan struggled forward, favoring his right foreleg. The sun was already setting. He had been trapped with the sorceress for nearly the entire day! How was that even possible? He thought as he started for home, wincing every time he stumbled and put pressure on the injured leg.

By the time the prince had arrived back to the castle, it was well after the sun had set and his caretaker had just set out search for him, worry etched across his brow. “Xiao Lu!” Shinwoo called out the moment he saw the stag’s shadow across the meadow.

Luhan bleated helplessly from the meadow. He was in the middle of the tall grasses when his leg collapsed, unable to carry his weight anymore. The caretaker broke into a run when he saw his charge fall, crying out in pain in the middle of the meadow. He skittered across what was left of the beach and into the grass, terrified for the prince.

Luhan had rolled onto his side by the time Shinwoo had arrived, to take the pressure off his injured leg. The stag was sweating heavily, eyes wide and rolling in fear. “Luhan, Luhan.” The caretaker sank into his knees in relief when he saw that the prince was not badly injured. He a gentle hand across the stag’s trembling cheek and the prince stilled, his tongue lolling out to weakly. “What happened to you?” Shinwoo breathed, laying his head against the prince's sweaty neck.

 

-

 

"A hart’s life he shall live when the sun rises,

only in his true form once the earth is covered by midnight sky blankets.

Neither man nor beast as the hour of his birth passes.

Standing on two legs after midnight has passed but four when the dawn approaches.

The blood of his family that runs through his veins,

on his twenty fifth birthday, an arrow shot true will be his bane.

In his impending doom, a ki ve his on on.”

 

“You think you know what the last words are?” Joonmyun’s eyes narrowed as he watched Yixing’s quill move across the parchment. The two of them were alone as Yifan had been sent away to the library to do more research on the beginnings of the uprising.

The advisor nodded mutely, pointing at the words he had written.

 

In his impending doom, a kin’s love his only boon.

 

“Kin’s love? Kin as in family? Yifan is the curse breaker?” Joonmyun looked confused.

“No, his love is,” Yixing stated patiently.

“I don't understand.” The lord looked up at his friend’s pale face, twitching nervously. He sensed that there was more to the story than he was being told. “Yifan’s love for his brother? How is that going to break the curse?” Joonmyun laughed nervously, fiddling with the bed covers.

The advisor cocked his head at his friend, surprised. “I'm actually surprised you haven't figured it out yet, Joon.”

The lord rolled his eyes and poked at Yixing's side playfully. “Who says I haven't? Maybe I just don't want to say it.” Joonmyun teased as his friend batted at his hands. “You're the one who has a way with words anyway.”

Yixing sobered, the smile sliding off his face. “I had a dream, no, more like a vision, of what will happen on Luhan’s birthday.” He murmured, picking at a loose thread on his comforter.

The lord sat up straighter, smile slowly disappearing. “What did you see?”

Yixing recounted the dreadful dream bit by bit, watching amusedly as the colour drained out of Joonmyun’s face.

“Why are you smiling? This is serious!” His friend demanded, looking shaken. He wanted desperately to grab Yixing by the shoulders and shake him. How could he be so light hearted when he knew what was about to happen?

“I'm relieved, Joon. I was so afraid that the curse breaker would involve Yifan in some way that would cause harm to him.” Yixing laughed, sounding a little hysterical as he leaned back into his pillow.

“.” Joonmyun swore, plopping his face into the duvet.

The advisor his hair gently. “There, there, Joon. We’ll sort this out.”

The lord glared at him. “We better. I am not losing a friend to this bloody sorceress.”

Yixing chewed his lip nervously as he thought about what he was going to do. “Sure we will. You won't lose anyone.” He lied, smiling reassuringly at his friend.

“You're not planning on telling Yifan or your father, are you?” Joonmyun's eyes narrowed and he jabbed a finger violently at Yixing’s side.

The advisor yelped, batting away his friend’s advances. “Cut that out, Joon. We’ll figure it out.”

“I knew it. You're a horrible liar. You're not going to do anything about it,” Joonmyun muttered, flopping forward again into Yixing’s lap.

His friend combed his fingers through Joonmyun's dark silky locks, looking guilty. “I'm sorry. You won’t tell, will you?” Yixing murmured, scratching the lord's scalp gently.

Joonmyun looked at him pitifully. “Dragon Yifan will kill me,” he whined, and Yixing laughed, his fingers through Joonmyun’s hair again. “Don't laugh, Xing Xing. He really will kill me if he finds out that I know something this important and didn't tell him. Come to think of it, he’ll kill you too.” The lord sat up, looking at his friend seriously.

“He’ll live.” Yixing smiled placatingly, ignoring the guilt gnawing through him at the thought of hiding something from his best friend again.

“But you won't. Xing, have you even thought about what will happen after? The arrow dissolves into smoke. You could die or not. We wouldn't know. Your parents would be devastated.” Joonmyun clasped his friend's hand close to his chest, looking stricken.

The advisor lowered his head, dark hair falling into his eyes. “They'll manage.” He muttered, unable to meet his friend’s eyes.

“That's not fair, Yixing! You're expecting all of us to be okay after this happens!” Joonmyun exploded, suddenly furious at his friend’s devil may care attitude towards the matter.

“You will be, Joon. You're all strong enough to…” Yixing tried, guilt written all over his face.

“No, no, no! That's selfish, Xing! I've never thought of you as such a selfish person!” The lord cried, rising from his seat to look down at his friend.

A tear leaked out of Yixing’s eyes and trickled down his face. “I don't know. I don't know what else to do, Joon. I can't let anything happen to Yifan.I can't,” Yixing pleaded for Joonmyun to understand.

Joonmyun’s heart nearly stopped at how raw the emotion in his friend’s voice was. “You're in love with him.” It was not a question. Joonmyun looked defeated as he sat back down.  The advisor could hardly look his friend in the eye. “Does he know?” The lord asked tiredly.

“He knows I like him that way. We’re still testing the waters,” Yixing muttered restlessly“Testing the waters? It’s already been so long and you already sleep together!” Joonmyun snorted. The red flush that crawled over Yixing's face made him look so endearing that the lord burst out laughing.

“Don't! We do not! We just sleep, that's all.” Yixing buried his face in his hands in embarrassment.

“Sure you do.” Joonmyun's amusement waned as he was once again reminded of the terrible situation at hand. The lord sighed. “What are we going to do, Yixing?”

Yixing looked at him sadly. “I don't know.”

 

-

 

Shinwoo sat by the prince’s side, laying iced linens over his forehead. After struggling through his transformation, Luhan had barely managed to stammer a few words of what had happened before falling into a stupor, waking up occasionally in cold sweat to mutter unintelligible words. The prince’s golden hair was soaked with sweat, his body convulsing in violent shivers as he slept. The caretaker still could not piece together what had happened to the stag with the few words Luhan had said. The prince was feverish, skin hot to the touch and Shinwoo feared that he might lose him, not to the curse but to this unusual fever, two weeks before his twenty fifth birthday.

Luhan managed to regain consciousness enough to swallow a few mouthfuls of soup before sinking straight back into a restless sleep.

As the prince slumbered, Shinwoo composed a letter to the King, hoping to be able to convince him to allow a visit from Luhan’s brother even though the danger was near.

“What time is it?”

The caretaker nearly dropped his quill at the croaky voice. “You're awake.” He sighed, moving from the small desk to the bed.

Luhan looked at him with glazed eyes. He pressed his hands into the mattress and struggled to sit up, dark eyes surveying the room. “Time. Shinwoo. Time.” His tone was flat and dead, frightening his caretaker.

“It's nearly dawn.” Shinwoo’s voice cracked as he spoke. The words seemed to flip a switch in the prince’s head and his eyes widened.

“No. No no no no!” Luhan yelled, flinging the covers off and jumping off the bed. “No!” he screamed as he pulled open the curtains and a shaft of rosy light pierced through the darkness.

“What's gotten into you?” Shinwoo cried, moving towards the prince.

Luhan whirled around, eyes blazing with fury and anger. “No!” he repeated, furious eyes roving over his caretaker’s frightened face. His hands shot out and he shoved Shinwoo hard, an aggressive behavior he had never displayed before.

“Luhan!” Shinwoo snapped, moving closer to the prince. He stopped when he saw the look in his eyes. There a glint in the prince’s eyes that had not been there before. It seemed almost animalistic. The caretaker was sure that the prince would attack him, the look in his eyes was so close to madness. But before he could take a step towards Shinwoo, Luhan felt a terrible pain pierce his bones. He screamed, a horrible cry tearing itself out of his mouth as he collapsed, his transformation upon him.

Shinwoo watched in horror as the prince transformed in the small space between the bed and the wall, heavy antlers slamming hard into the bed posts at the foot of the bed as he writhed in agony. One of the stag’s flailing hooves struck him across the leg, sharp hoof slicing through his pants and into his skin. The caretaker cried out in pain and staggered back, falling onto the floor, blood staining the hardwood. Luhan screamed once more before going still, the silence suddenly deafening.

“Xiao Lu?” Shinwoo called out warily, hearing snuffling from where the prince’s head was hidden behind the foot of the bed. “Luhan? Are you alright?” The caretaker got to his feet, wincing at the pain in his leg as he moved towards the stag.

Luhan made a miserable sound and curled his legs under his body, straining to roll over.

“Luhan.” Shinwoo rushed over, bracing his hands on the other side of the stag.

With Shinwoo’s help, the prince managed to get to his feet with all limbs and antlers attached. He was shivering as he stood, turning his muzzle away from his caretaker.

“You’re still feverish,” Shinwoo realized, moving to rest his hand against the shivering beast. “Come, let’s get you into the library. You won’t be going to the forest for a while.”

Luhan bleated weakly, sticking his tongue into the bowl and retracting it immediately, wrinkling his muzzle at the taste. The tea tasted odd and left a funny tingling feeling in the back of his throat. The caretaker had boiled up a mixture of elderflowers, yarrow and peppermint to help with the fever and was currently on the other side of the stag, carefully sponging him with cool water.

“Drink it all. It will make you feel better.” Shinwoo brushed the sponge over the stag’s sweaty neck and kissed his cheek gently. The prince snorted but obeyed, finishing the tea as fast as he could so as not to allow the taste to linger. “I’ve sent a message to your father,” he said as he laid a thin cloth over the prince.

Luhan’s head swiveled around so fast and he stared at his caretaker with wide eyes.

“I wanted to ask if your brother could be permitted to visit.” The caretaker smiled when Luhan’s ears pricked up with excitement, his eyes hopeful. “I’m sure we will receive a reply soon.”

 

-

 

“A message for you, Your Majesty.” Yi Chen nodded at the guard in thanks, taking the roll of parchment from him. He shut the door to his chambers carefully before unrolling it.

“Who is it from, Chen?” Lan Ling asked from the bed where she was already curled under the covers.

“It’s from Shinwoo. About Luhan,” the king murmured, eyes scanning the single page quickly. His wife sat up at the mention of her first born, eyes wide with interest. “He says that Luhan has taken ill and would we permit Yifan to visit. Apparently Luhan misses his brother dreadfully,” Yi Chen proclaimed, placing the parchment in his wife’s outstretched hand.

“Would you?” Lan Ling asked, looking up at her husband curiously.

“The threat of Raven is too near. There is only two weeks left.” The king looked down at his wife worriedly and she bowed her head.

“Yifan would be so happy to visit,” she whispered, setting the parchment down on the bed.

“He would.” Yi Chen agreed, looking fondly down at his wife. “I will think about it. Make no mention of this. I do not want to disappoint him.”

 

-

 

“Are you feeling much better now?” Yifan whispered when Yixing was tucked snugly in his arms, with his head lying on the prince’s chest.

“Yeah. Maybe I’ll actually sleep tonight,” Yixing mumbled, looking up at his best friend.

“I hope you do. Your dark circles are starting to rival Zitao’s.” The prince grinned sleepily when he felt the advisor kick at his shin gently.

“Shut up and sleep, angry dragon.” Yixing snuggled deeper into the prince's arms, reaching out a hand to pull the comforter higher.

“You’re one to talk, little star.” Yifan retorted, pulling the advisor tighter to him and throwing a leg over his calves to pin him down.

“If you don’t stop talking, I won’t have any qualms kicking you out of my bed,” Yixing threatened, eyes fluttering shut.

“Alright, alright. Good night, little star. Sleep well.” The prince pressed a kiss to the top of his best friend’s head and the room grew silent.