The Opening Moves (closed)

[Sze Liuchao]

Upon further reflection later that night, Sze Liuchao had come to the conclusion that assassination was just too risky at this stage of his plan. If the assassin, by some unlikely manner, was to be caught and traced back to him . . . well, that was certainly a situation that left little to be desired. He had, however, come up with a better plan. A plan which hinged upon a very dear friend of his, and a very valuable pawn.

He had sent word for this friend to meet him in his quaters, but there was still the problem of Yu Fai. The man could drop in at any moment, now that he had the excuse of "guarding" him. Liuchao was no fool, the situation was equally advantageous to Yu Fai to keep an eye on him. It was difficult to ignore the tense air between them as they watched each other, carefully waiting for a slip up.

He carefully schooled his face so that none of his thoughts showed. It would be very bad to let his plans slip at this stage, especially with the far-too-perceptive Yu Fai now attending him. He eyed the door, wondering which man would be the first to make an appearance.

Stroking his beard thoughtfully he examined himself in the mirror. Frowning, he twisted his face about, thinking to himself that his eyes shone far too brightly for a mourning uncle. He reworked his mask again, looking for cracks and faults. It took him a few minutes, and he let out a sigh when he finally passed his own inspection.

Yu Fai was certainly going to be a trial. For the first time, he began to wonder if he might not have once again jumped in over his head. This game was turning out to be a treacherous one indeed, where he was forced to the lesser of a great many evils. He sighed once more, mournfully noting the beginning of a rather significant headache. And the sun had not even reached its zenith yet; it would prove to be a long day, indeed.


But hopefully, he would soon have good news. That would serve to ease a bit of the stress that settled heavily upon his shoulders. He allowed himself a final smirk, picturing the position that was rightfully his--he was the only one capable, the only one who could push China to her finest destiny.

And the only thing that stood in his way was that damned nephew of his.

[Xia Ren]

Without warning Ren opened the door to Liuchao's room, closing it behind him while his eyes glanced to the ceiling and then to the floor. It was a human error to never look in those places and often times the ones with more intellect found a way to blend in. Or perhaps his attention span decreased to nothing more than being curious. He had been in this room several times before but the decorations always amused him.

Slightly tired, Ren made his way towards the turned out chair and sat in it. He crossed his ankles before slouching, eyeing Liuchao. "Don't you get bored in here?" he asked, a slanted smile appearing on his face. The room was stuffy to him; perhaps he was a bit claustrophobic. However, he could sense some slight agitation from the older man. Someone stopped him in the halls to tell him to report to Liuchao - he had just got done participating in charity work for the public. Something about making the community better, well, he never listened.

The cold of the air was still clinging to his flesh and he tried to fix this by crossing his arms over his chest. Even the chair was slightly uncomfortable. Giving up he uncrossed his arms, craning his head to the right to get a better look at Liuchao.

[Sze Liuchao]

Liuchao smirked, giving the man a once-over. He made no secret of his gaze, knowing that Ren would not find it offensive. He seated himself in the only other chair in the small room, watching the other's movements with a bit of amusement.

"I find things to amuse myself with," he finally answered, insinuating that one such thing might just be sitting in front of him.

Walking over to the large chest at the end of his bed, Liuchao pulled out a heavy robe. Like the rest of his clothing it was purple in color and heavily embroidered. He liked to advertise his wealth, not so much for the sake of the riches themselves, but for the power they represented. Crossing the room he draped the robe about Ren's shoulders with an amused grin.

"You're always cold in my quarters, you should wear warmer clothing." He smiled, thinking of the many other ways he could and had used in the past to warmed his friend. He allowed his hands to linger on the younger man's shoulders longer than was proper, running his fingers down them before he released Ren to return to his chair.

"You received my summon, I take it?"

[Xia Ren]

Ren's mouth curved into a slight o-shape when Liuchao gave a quite suggestive response. If he was amusing the older man, that would mean more merits for him. Meaningless responses like that always made him happy, like it was a reward of some kind. His eyes followed the other's movements, sitting up slightly when Liuchao pulled out one of his expensive robes. Ren knew when he was being taunted in a way with wealth and power. It was the exact timing, too - anything to place him in awe and envy.

His eyes shifted momentarily, feeling the weight of the robe on his shoulders. The fabric was soft and warm and his fingers held lightly to the sides of the robe while an awkward chill ran up his spine from Liuchao's hands. This left him in a daze. "I would recommend a uniform change, then," he suggested. Knowingly Liuchao would decline this offer because if Ren was no longer cold the visitations would become less.

Suddenly he sat up from the chair, holding onto the robe with his left hand while he trailed after Liuchao. It amused him to stand by the older man since their height difference showed. When he got close enough he placed his fingers towards the man's hair line, his fingers weaving slightly with the ebony strands - causing the shorter strands of hair (that were tied loosely in Liuchao's peculiar style of hair) to fall and frame his face. "Mmhm," he hummed, not a real accurate response.

[Sze Liuchao]

Liuchao blinked, unsure why Ren's height never intimidated him. Anyone else would leave him feeling intimidated, as if height were some indication of power. Perhaps, he mused, it was an indication of how much he trusted the younger man. He brushed the fallen strands of hair out of his face, giving Ren a measured smile.

"We have matters to discuss," he leaned forward slightly, smoothing out some wrinkles in Ren's shirt. It was a rather weak disguise for light, feathery touches intended to serve another purpose entirely. "Things have come . . . up."

"However," he narrowed his eyes slightly, "first we must attend to a certain guard who is quickly becoming a nuisance. I believe you remember Yu Fai? He was an obvious favorite of my late nephew . . . ." Liuchao smirked, "He's fixed himself as my bodyguard, but he trusts me about as much as I trust him--not at all. He can't find out anything, so be on guard." He chuckled, running a hand down Ren's chest, "Not that I expect anything less from you."

[Xia Ren]

The lids of his eyes slanted down, his eyes focusing on the hands that creased out the wrinkles in his shirt. There was something odd about the gestures. Letting go of the robe he motioned his hands to place them around Liuchao's forearms when the hand ran down his chest. "Yu Fai," he echoed the name, trying to get a mental image of the kid. Yes, he recalled the boy always at Kamying's side. There was a time Fai was quite cheerful and now he seemed hardly there when he patrolled the halls at night.

"Yes, I know who he is. He's quite fluid with his work and our paths hardly cross. But I'll keep an eye out for him and report any suspicious behavior," Ren smiled as he spoke. There was something quite satisfying about being placed in high regards. A slight habit of his encouraged him to slide his hands down Liuchao's arm, tracing across the torso and down towards the other man's hips. "So, if he's guarding you - where is he?"

[Sze Liuchao]

"He's supposed to be here already," Liuchao murmured, "Which is why I can't get into details yet. He might walk in at an . . . inopportune moment." The older man closed his eyes, trying not to focus too much on just what Ren's hands felt like sliding down his body. "He might be checking into a courier for a . . . certain message. But I think I might have found someone more suitable."

He smiled and turned towards the door, keeping an eye on Ren as he did so. "He should be here anytime now. In fact, he's rather late. We agreed to meet in the morning . . . ," he mused, "Seems out of character for someone of his reputation."

He let down his hair in a fluid motion, shaking his head to free it completely. He turned back to Ren, "It is rather curious, don't you think? I'm sure he'll have an intriguing story for us when he does get here." Liuchao smirked, "The question is, of course, whether or not it will be the truth."

[Xia Ren]

"You're not Kamying, that makes a big difference in how late or early he arrives," Ren explained, his eyes catching a slight glimpse of the door before he glanced back. It was fascinating to watch Liuchao's hair tumble down against his shoulders and then fold back like silk. Ren didn't fancy long hair on himself but he found it appealing to the eyes.

Letting the fingers of his left hand curl around Liuchao's hip he pulled the man closer to himself while his right hand trailed back up in the opposite direction. His right palm was opened and curved around Liuchao's neck, fingers loosely tracing the other's jaw line. "You could just discharge him and then kill him..?"

[Sze Liuchao]

"I could," Liuchao's voice was merely a breathy whisper. He only just suppressed a shiver. "But it would seem very suspicious."

He bowed his head slightly, hair slipping over his shoulder to fall in a curtain about his cheeks, "I'm already the subject of much speculation because I have a very obvious motive. I don't need any coincidental deaths near me if I can help it." He lifted his head, "Besides, I'm not desperate yet. I've still got time to wait."

He pulled away gently, a suggestive leer on his face, "And I can be a very patient man when I've a mind for it." If his expression wasn't enough, certainly the way his hands subtly made their way down his thighs was enough to drive the double meaning of that statement home.

"Besides," he flipped his hair behind his ears, "This way I can keep an eye on him. Yu Fai could prove to be a very stubborn thorn in my side if not managed properly."

[Xia Ren]

"Patience is a virtue after all," he watched Liuchao's movements. The hair moved in fluid directions and was slightly confused when the other pulled away some. A slight smile appeared on his face and he pulled away from the older man all together. Cool air rushed back to his flesh. He gave a defeated signal with a tilt of his head. Instead of facing the man he turned his back on Liuchao, making his way towards the bed.

There was something about luxury, alluring him towards it. Once he was close enough he did his second routine of habit and curled up in the center of it, prodding the pillows that sat just above his head. "I'm almost jealous," he said, accompanied by a laugh.

[Sze Liuchao]

It was almost like a dance, their careful actions. If it was a dance of some sort, they had entered into the second part of it. The cadence was different, the steps as well. He could feel the change in the very air.

"Almost?" Liuchao raised an eyebrow, slowly crossing the room to gaze at Ren amusedly. He slipped his robe off his shoulders, the room seemingly warmer than before, and the robes too heavy for his taste. The shirt he wore underneath was long enough to preserve his decency, but he didn't drop the robes completely yet.

He sat down on the end of the bed, unfastening the top of his shirt. "I'm not sure how you ever think it cold in here," he commented. "I always find it rather warm." He watched Ren carefully, a predatory gaze which took in every movement, from the rise and fall of the man's chest to the subtle unconscious movements of his fingers.

[Xia Ren]

"Perhaps it is but I can't quite seem to get the chill of the air off my flesh," he said, eyes wandering over and across the bed. The fabric always distracted him for a moment, a definite comfort zone. However, he saw Liuchao's figure move about the room and his attention refocused. Finally, his hands caught one of the pillows and he set it off to the side.

"Then why do you wear such heavy robes, hmm?" it was a contradiction to wear such things in a warm room. Perhaps it was just to visually torture Ren out of his mind. He could see the man loosening slowly, unraveling - and Ren barely had to lift a finger. "I'm not really a servant, but do you need help with that?" he asked, lifting a finger towards the shirt.

[Sze Liuchao]

"It may not be cold in here," Liuchao smirked, "But it most certainly is elsewhere in the palace. And contrary to whatever personal beliefs you may have, I don't always hole myself up in this room."

He turned toward Ren as the younger man spoke, letting the robes slip further down his arms. "Well, if you offer . . . I do seem to have hit a snag. Perhaps you could manage it for me."

The smirk on his face was anything but innocent as he scooted toward Ren on the bed, kneeling in front of the younger man for easier access. The robes slipped even further away, forgotten for the moment.

[Xia Ren]

Ren's expression was amused as Liuchao got closer. He sat himself up to lean closer to the other; hands lifted up to slowly undo the 'snag'. Once he was done he moved his left hand over to slowly press the robe down further. Glancing up at an angle made him appear somewhat of a starving or hungry wolf. For once, he said nothing.

[Yu Fai]

Fai dragged himself to Liuchao's room, feeling a dangerous migraine coming on. He had been too ill in the morning to try and fixate his intentions on getting the messenger put together - even if he had done it the previous night. It wasn't like him to be late, even by the slightest. In a way, being late would probably stain his reputation. His eyes scanned the halls until it landed on Liuchao's door. The door wasn't exactly closed, either. There was a small crack.

He recalled Liuchao instructing him to announce his presence but with the door being opened it could've meant something was wrong. Quickly he made it to the door, opening it open without stepping in. Instead he faced something more problematic. Liuchao was with someone else, a familiar face. Xia Ren. He knew Ren to be devious in all nature but nothing could prepare him for what he was looking at. Personal business? Confusion settled in. It was even worse when Ren made eye-contact with him. Like the stare was laughing at him and it reminded him sickly of Kamying.

Without really thinking he stepped backwards, almost letting his weight fall beneath him. The door had been shut with a light motion of his hand, the migraine taking over. He could even feel a needle-like pain in the tips of his fingers. Knock before you enter.. mocked in his head as he walked away, almost ran, down the hall.