"What’s wrong?" Xiang Yu asked, perched confidently in the lounge, a playful smile gracing his lips.
Ignoring him, Han Xin marched to the bathroom. There, he found Xiang Yu’s toiletries arranged neatly as if the man were preparing to move in. He flipped through the items, but again, he found nothing to explain the alluring scent.
Suddenly, he heard Xiang Yu’s voice, now at the door. "What are you looking for?" He stood there with his arms crossed, a feigned innocent look on his face.
Han Xin turned, his frustration boiling over. "Where is it?"
Xiang Yu’s face twisted in confusion. "What? I didn’t take anything," he replied, innocence spilling from his words.
Han Xin continued to glare, his anger simmering beneath the surface. He had to find that perfume that had the aphrodisiac scent.
Raising his hands in mock surrender, Xiang Yu shot back, "You can pat me down. I didn’t take anything."
Without hesitation, Han Xin stepped forward and began to search Xiang Yu. His hands shot out, quick and purposeful. His fingers brushed against Xiang Yu’s chest, firm and insistent, his touch both clinical and charged. Xiang Yu’s smirk widened as he watched Han Xin’s face, his eyes sparkling with mischief.
Han Xin’s hands moved downward, tracing the contours of Xiang Yu’s body with a thoroughness that bordered on obsessive. His fingers grazed the waistband of Xiang Yu’s trousers, then moved to his hips, his thighs, his touch firm but not gentle. Xiang Yu stood still, his body relaxed, his gaze never leaving Han Xin’s face.
As Han Xin crouched down, his hands moving over Xiang Yu’s waist and legs, Xiang Yu’s smirk grew wider. He glanced down, his eyes meeting Han Xin’s for a brief moment, and something passed between them. Han Xin’s heart pounded in his chest, but his expression remained stoic, his face a mask of cold determination.
"At least buy me dinner first," Xiang Yu murmured, his voice low and teasing.
Han Xin’s hands stilled, his fingers resting on the curve of Xiang Yu’s hips. For a moment, he said nothing, his mind a battlefield of conflicting emotions.
Then, with a growl, he spun Xiang Yu around, pressing him against the wall. Xiang Yu let out a soft laugh, his body yielding to the pressure, his hands braced against the cold stone.
Han Xin’s hands paused, his fingers brushing the small of Xiang Yu’s back. The scent of him was overwhelming, clouding his thoughts, muddling his resolve. He took another step back, his chest heaving, his gaze flicking away from Xiang Yu’s face.
Xiang Yu turned around slowly, his eyes locking onto Han Xin’s. There was a challenge in his gaze, daring him to keep going. "Do you want to do a body cavity search?" he asked, his voice low, suggestive. "I have a place where something hard might fit."
Han Xin’s eyes widened in shock, his expression betraying his surprise. His mouth went dry, his heart pounding in his chest. For a moment, he couldn’t speak, couldn’t think, couldn’t do anything but stare at Xiang Yu, his mind reeling.
"Take your things and leave. Now," Han Xin commanded, his voice sharp and unyielding.
Xiang Yu blinked, trying to gauge the intensity of Han Xin’s anger. "Don’t... don’t be angry. I was joking," he said lightly, though the tone didn’t reach Han Xin’s ears.
Han Xin wasn’t interested in humour; his mind was racing. He understood that the longer he stayed near Xiang Yu, the more things would spiral out of control.
He hated the suffocating feeling of being unable to control his emotions. Rationality screamed for him to put distance between them, yet every fibre of his being thrummed with the need to draw closer.
"If you don’t leave now, I will lock you up, and you will lose your freedom," Han Xin warned, his voice low and menacing.
Xiang Yu’s expression turned serious, the playful demeanour fading. "I can give you what you need," he offered.
Han Xin, filled with anger, scoffed. "What can you offer me that I can’t get myself?"
"Water," Xiang Yu stated simply. "Pure, clean water."
Han Xin almost dismissed the claim outright, ready to call out Xiang Yu’s lies. But when he saw the earnestness etched on his face, uncertainty crept in. "I know the wastelands like the back of my hand, and I have searched the entire territory. Where would we get this water you’re talking about?"
"Bring me a map," Xiang Yu insisted, "and I will show you."
Han Xin cursed under his breath, knowing he shouldn’t trust Xiang Yu. But there was something in the seriousness of his expression that made it hard to dismiss him outright. Reluctantly, he agreed.
Soon, they were in the living room, a map unfurled on the table between them. Han Xin sat as far away from Xiang Yu as possible, the tension thick enough to slice through.
"Show me where on the map," Han Xin demanded.
Xiang Yu glanced at the map but wouldn’t give out the information for free. "It will cost you," he replied, his tone almost teasing.
Han Xin, expecting this, narrowed his eyes. He wondered what Xiang Yu might want, perhaps their nuclei ore or a stake in their mines. He sneered, fully prepared to negotiate.
But then Xiang Yu leaned in, his voice dropping to a persuasive whisper. "I want to be real husbands with you."
The room fell silent, and Han Xin felt the walls closing in on him. The words hung heavy in the air, each syllable striking at something deep within him. He was momentarily taken aback, uncertainty twisting in his gut.
"We are already married, so why not make it official?" Xiang Yu suggested his tone light but charged with intent.
Han Xin struggled to hide his reaction, shock tearing at his carefully composed facade. The idea sank in, and he fought against the flood of emotions battling within him.
"This means we live together, share the same bed, and everything," Xiang Yu continued, leaning in slightly, his dark eyes glinting with mischief. "So what will it be, Lord Han? All you have to do to save your city is sacrifice your body."
The words hung in the air like a dagger, and before he fully processed the weight of them, Han Xin reacted instinctively. He thrust Xiang Yu out once more, his frustration boiling over. "Get out!" he shouted, his voice echoing down the street.