Saving the Heartthrob Frenemy

"Where are you going?" asked Luo Muchen his voice husky and his breath tickling his neck. Qie Xieling shivered.

"Since you are going to Rion I can’t stay here. Go do what you have to do," replied Qie Xieling as his hand reached for the zipper on his pants to pull them up.

"How about you?" asked Luo Muchen before glancing down at the obvious bulge in his pants. "I don’t like owing people."

Luo Muchen would have been fine if he hadn’t said anything but now that he had said it, Qie Xieling got extremely angry. "What does that mean?" he asked and Luo Muchen who had no idea kept digging his own grave.

"You gave me the box so I should meet my end of the contractual obligation?" he said. Qie Xieling’s lips twitched suppressing his anger that was threatening to burst forth like a geyser and burn the shit out of Luo Muchen.

Breathing heavy he asked "What is that obligation... captain?" Luo Muchen knew in his gut that he should keep his mouth shut but he couldn’t help it thus he replied,

"Sleeping with you of course. This is after all a transactional obligation. I should meet my end of the deal."

Qie Xieling clenched his jaw before pulling his arm away from him. "Sure Captain... no rush. Once the crisis is over you can come and meet your trans... actional. obligation." After saying that he picked up his t-shirt and left his strides long. Qie Xieling was so angry with Luo Muchen that he didn’t want to see him.

Luo Muchen stared blankly watching him leave. He honestly didn’t understand what he said wrong. Meanwhile, Qie Xieling was in the elevator putting on his shoes while mumbling, "Contractual obligation my fuckin ass... transactional relationship... Argh why didn’t I kick him in the shin?" When the elevator reached his deck he strode to his cabin and locked himself in extremely disappointed.

After the door shut behind him he couldn’t help but feel a little sad and lonely. His shoulders slumped and his eyes dropped to the ground. He fell forward onto the bed and closed his eyes trying to stop himself from crying.

He couldn’t understand why he was feeling like this. Why was he so affected by what Luo Muchen said? He was right, wasn’t he? It was a transaction, a deal but Qie Xieling wanted more than that. He wanted Luo Muchen to sleep with him because he loved him not because it was a deal.

A warm tear flowed down his cheek as he lay there motionless. It was times like these that he wanted to go home and just cry in his dads arms. Once he started thinking about his dad Qie Xieling couldn’t stop the effortless tears from flowing like streams down his cheeks. Thoughts like why they hadn’t found him yet and where Jolie was filled his mind making him so sad.

While he was wallowing in his sadness the door of the cabin slid open but he didn’t look up. He pretended like he was asleep and heard nothing. The person shuffled around and because of the silence of the cabin, the sound was especially amplified.

Just as Qie Xieling slowly drifted off to sleep there was an announcement circulating throughout the entire warship. The announcer urged everyone to check their communicators for assignments on Rion. The selected individuals were to report to the warship hangar.

Qie Xieling’s communicator buzzed but he ignored it as he turned to sleep on his side. Uncle Jie who had made an appearance out of nowhere tried to shake him awake but Qie Xieling refused to wake up.

It was only after shaking him vigorously that Qie Xieling rubbed his face on the pillow before turning to look at him.

"Are you alright?" asked Jie with a hint of concern in his voice. Qie Xieling blinked his red-rimmed eyes and looked away from him.

"I’m fine," he replied. When he saw Qie Xieling’s appearance Luo Muchen was confused. He couldn’t fathom why Qie Xieling cried. Didn’t he give him what he wanted?

"Check your communicator," he said and Qie Xieling wiped his face with a sniffle before checking the communicator. When he saw that he was on the list of people to go to the lawless planet Rion he sighed as he slammed his face into the pillow.

"When are we departing?" he asked.

Uncle Jie sat on his bed before responding, "Thirty minutes. I will pack all the necessities you need."

Qie Xieling wanted to decline but he wasn’t in the mood to lift a finger. He would much prefer to stay off that list and not see Luo Muchen for a while but of course, Luo Muchen didn’t think so.

Fifteen minutes later the pair were walking out of the cabin heading for the spacecraft departing for Rion. When they stepped into the elevator Qie Xieling finally noticed the uncle’s bruised lip so he asked, "What happened to your lip? Did you run into a wall or you are getting laid?"

Uncle Jie, "..."

Qie Xieling leaned down and took a closer look his brows furrowed. "Someone really took a nibble out of you. What are they? A vampire?... Uncle you should take it easy. You are too old for rough sex," continued Qie Xieling seeming genuinely concerned.

Uncle Jie raised his brow while internally retorting, ’You are the one who did this, you idiot.’ He could have covered it up when he changed appearance but he didn’t think Qie Xieling would pay that much attention.

"It’s really nothing. I bumped into something," he said and Qie Xieling chuckled before saying,

"Lies. You are obviously getting laid but you don’t want to share the details. Is it that you don’t kiss and tell?" he said while the elevator doors opened.

The old man sighed before saying, "I am not hooking up with someone. What about you? Why are you crying?"

Qie Xieling, "..."

"I am not crying. What kind of nonsense are you sprouting?" he replied being defensive. He was comfortable in his emotions but he wasn’t willing to tell the whole world that he was crying.