It was as if a warm light suddenly entered the dark living room.

"Phoenix, could you give me a hug, please?" Phoenix stepped closer and knelt down, wrapping
his arms around his waist. Zane returned the gesture as his hands wound around Phoenix's back,
tightening the hug without any hesitation.

They stayed like that for several minutes, just hugging, and Zane closed his eyes and inhaled
deeply, taking in the familiar scent of bergamot and lemon that was so uniquely Phoenix.

It was alright. It was all alright. Life was like this - you gain some and you lose some. His mom
might be like that, but he still had his father, and he had Phoenix.

The hands around him were firm beyond comparison. It was as if they were enclosed in a very
private and warm world, isolating them from everything else, as if they were the only ones left
for each other.

Phoenix turned his face sideways, pressing his cheek against Zane's hair. His fingers traced the
outline of Zane's neck and slowly touched down along his vertebrae. Then he buried his fingers
in soft black hair, caressing it as if he was stroking an extremely precious treasure.

Zane felt a tingle from the back of his head, and his ears reddened. He did not pull away but got
a little closer instead. His chest continued to pound heavily, and he could even feel their hearts
beating in sync. They nestled in each other's embrace, and it was as if time had stopped for just a
second.

Zane did not know how long they stayed before he blushed and pulled away, saying, "Thanks, I
needed that." His voice sounded as if he had a cold, and he said the words lightly while evading
his gaze.
Phoenix smiled and got up to sit on the sofa next to him, "There is no need for thanks between
us; we have passed that stage." His words were sincere, and when he spoke, he looked straight at
Zane as if he wanted him to understand something.

Zane's red ears reddened even more. They have? He swallowed, he wanted to ask more but at the
same time, he did not want to. His brain searched for something to say to make the atmosphere a
bit normal. It was tense, it made his heart flutter.

"I came to the Alliance on a diplomatic visa."

"Eh?" Zane did not understand, and his eyes snapped to Phoenix, a little bewildered. Phoenix
elegantly dropped his hands on his knees and explained better, "I have diplomatic immunity. I
would not be tried for murder."

"Eh?" Zane was shocked. Wait a minute! What on earth goes on in this person's head?

Phoenix was still thinking, his brain moving at rapid speed, "Is it your father? It would be
difficult, but I think I can make it work. Do you need his death to be painful or..?" "Phoenix! It is
not my father." Zane hurriedly stopped that train of thought, but Phoenix had jumped to the next
one.

"Your mother?"

This time, Zane hesitated for a second, "Phoenix, you are not killing anyone because I am upset."

"Are you sure? The time that the Crimson Knights offended Papa, Father killed all of them."
Phoenix's voice as he said this had no special inflection, as if it was something normal.
Something that was only right.
"It is not the same." Zane shook his head; that was the Emperor and the Grand Archon. They
were married, while he and Phoenix were... what were they? Very close friends or… Phoenix
stood up, and Zane held his hand, "Where are you going?"

With the way Phoenix threw murder around like they were pieces of fruit, he was a little afraid
this prince might really do it. Although he had to admit, it felt really good, the thought that
someone was willing to kill someone that hurt him.

Warmth welled up in his chest. It was mind-blowing. If not for his aching muscles, he would
believe that he was still dreaming.

"Where do you think? Cloud City?" Phoenix's voice was still airy, but there was a sparkling light
in those light brown eyes that Zane had never seen before. It was mesmerizing. He was stunned
for a moment before the words that Phoenix said registered in his head, and he laughed.

He never thought a day would come when he would be teased by someone else. He burst out
laughing.

Phoenix smiled in return. His dimples did not appear every time he smiled, but when they did,
they brought a playfulness and approachability to his beauty, making it as if he could be reached
if you just stretched a hand.

"You are upset. I am going to my room to get ice cream for you. Which flavor do you like?"
Phoenix asked.

"Which flavors do you have?" Zane asked, and Phoenix cocked his head.

"I cannot recite all of them. I have 360 flavors of ice cream."

Zane's eyes widened, "360?" Zane did not know that his voice could ever reach such a high
pitch. 360 flavors? Did the empire send the seventh prince here to sell ice cream?
"My second brother was the one that packed it. He said that he did not want me to use it as an
excuse to run back to the Empire. He also packed all the chocolate and all my favorite desserts."

Zane lowered his eyes and tried to suppress the laughter that was bubbling from his throat.

"Stop laughing at me. I was going to run back, but then I met you. I am not planning to leave
anymore."

His words jabbed at Zane's heart. Its strength was similar to the pads of a pet. It bore no intention
of inflicting any harm to him; it was a fluffy, soft touch - just enough to stir up something in his
heart.
A sense of sweetness seeped into his heart bit by bit. In that instant, Zane felt as if his body had
been lit on fire and unable to make any sound.

He was done for.