The Silent Confession

The days following their unexpected kiss were filled with a tension that neither Ne Zha nor Ao Bing could escape. Both of them tried to return to their usual routine, attempting to act as though nothing had changed between them. But the truth was undeniable—the kiss had changed everything. It had opened a door to something neither of them was prepared for, and now it lingered like a shadow in their every interaction.

Ne Zha couldn't stop thinking about the way Ao Bing had reacted—how his lips had frozen beneath Ne Zha's touch, how he had seemed so unsure, so vulnerable. It both pained and thrilled Ne Zha, this feeling of seeing Ao Bing in such a raw, human light. And yet, he couldn't help but wonder if Ao Bing was regretting it, if the kiss had meant as much to the dragon as it did to him.

For Ao Bing, the aftermath was equally confusing. The kiss had shaken him in ways he hadn't expected. Ao Bing had always been proud, a creature of strength and pride. But in that moment, when Ne Zha had reached for him, something inside Ao Bing had shifted. It wasn't just the touch—it was the feeling of being wanted, the sense of being seen not as a dragon prince, but as Ao Bing, the person he longed to be. But now, the uncertainty had settled in. Was Ne Zha serious? Or was it just a fleeting moment of weakness, something to be forgotten?

The two of them sat in silence the next time they met, a tension between them that neither could break. Ne Zha stood by a small, bubbling stream, absently tossing pebbles into the water, watching the ripples spread across the surface. His fingers were numb, his thoughts in a whirl as he tried to figure out what to say. There was so much he wanted to express, so much he needed to say to Ao Bing, but his pride stood in the way, just as it always had.

Ao Bing was sitting a little further up the bank, leaning against a rock with his wings folded neatly behind him. He seemed distracted, his gaze distant, lost in his own thoughts. Ne Zha glanced at him from the corner of his eye, his heart aching at the sight. The usually confident and poised dragon now seemed so... fragile. Ne Zha's chest tightened. He couldn't ignore it any longer. He couldn't continue pretending that nothing had changed.

"Ao Bing," Ne Zha said, his voice soft, tentative, as he took a step closer.

Ao Bing blinked, startled out of his reverie. His eyes found Ne Zha, and for a moment, there was a long, heavy silence between them. Ne Zha felt the weight of it, the unsaid words pressing down on him. But he refused to back away now. He couldn't.

"I... I wanted to apologize," Ne Zha began, his voice barely above a whisper. "For the kiss. I shouldn't have done that without considering how you might feel. I don't want to make things uncomfortable between us."

Ao Bing's gaze softened, and for the first time, he truly seemed to understand Ne Zha's words. His lips parted, and he stood up, taking a slow, measured step toward Ne Zha. "No... I don't regret it," Ao Bing said quietly. "I just... didn't know what to do in the moment."

Ne Zha's heart skipped a beat at the sincerity in Ao Bing's voice. He had been preparing himself for rejection, for the harsh reality that maybe Ao Bing hadn't felt the same way. But now, hearing those words, Ne Zha felt a rush of warmth flood through him.

"You don't?" Ne Zha asked, his voice full of surprise.

Ao Bing shook his head, the corners of his lips curling into a hesitant smile. "No. I... I just wasn't prepared for it. But now, I think I understand. I've been so focused on what I'm supposed to be, on being the perfect dragon prince, that I never stopped to think about what I want. What I truly want."

Ne Zha stepped closer, his heart racing with hope. "And what do you want, Ao Bing?"

Ao Bing's eyes darkened slightly, his gaze shifting to the ground for a moment. It was as if the question had broken something open inside him—something he had been too afraid to acknowledge. When he finally looked up again, his eyes were full of determination.

"I want you," Ao Bing said simply, the words coming out with a surprising clarity. "I've never wanted anything like this before, Ne Zha. I don't know what it means or how it works, but I know that I want you."

Ne Zha's breath caught in his throat. He didn't know how to respond, didn't know what to say. His heart was racing, and everything around him seemed to fade away as he stood there, frozen by the intensity of Ao Bing's words. The dragon wanted him. Ao Bing, the powerful, unshakable dragon prince, wanted him.

Before Ne Zha could speak, Ao Bing moved forward, closing the distance between them. His hands reached out, gently cupping Ne Zha's face as he pulled him into a soft, lingering kiss. It was different this time—there was no hesitation, no uncertainty. Just the warm press of lips against lips, a gentle, sweet connection that spoke of everything they had been too afraid to say.

Ne Zha's mind swirled, his body responding instinctively. He had kissed Ao Bing before, but now, it was different. This time, it felt real. There was no more confusion, no more doubt. The kiss was an unspoken promise, an affirmation of everything they had been dancing around for so long.

When they finally pulled away, their faces were close, breaths mingling in the quiet air. Ne Zha's eyes were wide with astonishment, his chest rising and falling rapidly. He had never felt anything like this before—this raw, overwhelming connection that seemed to tie him to Ao Bing in ways he couldn't describe.

"I... I don't know what to say," Ne Zha whispered, his voice shaking.

"You don't have to say anything," Ao Bing replied softly, his thumb brushing over Ne Zha's cheek. "Just be with me, Ne Zha. That's all I need."

And in that moment, Ne Zha realized something. He had spent so long running from his feelings, denying what was right in front of him. But Ao Bing had never been just the dragon prince, never been just his rival. Ao Bing was the person he needed, the one who could make him feel complete in a way no one else ever had.

Ne Zha closed his eyes, letting the warmth of Ao Bing's touch wash over him. "I'll be with you," he whispered back, his voice steady now, full of conviction. "For as long as you'll have me."

Ao Bing's smile grew wider, and he pulled Ne Zha into an embrace, holding him tightly as if afraid to let go. "I'll always have you, Ne Zha. Always."

And in that moment, under the quiet sky, surrounded by the stillness of the mountain, the bond between them was sealed—stronger than any rivalry, deeper than any duty. They were no longer enemies. They were something far more precious. And neither of them would ever be the same again.

...____________________...

...To be continued...

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