NOTE: If you're unhappy with the ending, I suggest you read the Artist Comment all the way through. I explain A LOT why it ended the way it did.
Chapter 9: Epilogue-
In 12 days I'll leave by ship for the Far Eastern Empire. Until then, I'll stay at Cardonna. Come see me if you must.
Cardonna- one of the busiest ports in the Kingdom of Hearts. The little city grew and expanded far beyond its borders. Street vendors, merchants, and traders yelled and hawked for potential customers. Thieves and beggars walked the streets, brushing along side esteemed Lords and Ladies. Anything and everything could be found here.
In the safety of the shadows and hidden from sight, Ivan pulled his cloak tighter around him. The instant he read the letter, he threw away everything- his position as Ace, his family, and his Kingdom. He tirelessly rode on horseback, a sliver of hope lighting his heart.
Yao wanted him. Yao wanted to be with him. His love wasn't hopeless. They would be together, far away from all the blood and war that plagued their people. Happily ever after. They would be together in an ending suited for fairytales.
His heart thumping against his chest in jubilation and anxiousness, Ivan carefully scanned the streets for a slim, black haired man. Yao said he would be waiting in the city of Cardonna, but where exactly did he-
A dirty, little boy pulled his sleeve and held out his hands. "Can I get my gold coin now?"
Annoyed, Ivan swatted the grimy hands away from him. "No. Go away before I get angry, boy."
The beggar child shook his head. "But the pretty man with gold eyes said you would give me a gold coin if I found you."
"What did you say?" Ivan grabbed the boy by the shoulder and shook him, "Where did the man go? Where did you see him? Tell me!"
"Only if you give me the coin first." The boy held up his hand palm up.
Ivan narrowed his eyes, but gave him the coin nonetheless. He didn't have time to beat it out of the rat. "Now tell me. Where did you see the man with gold eyes?"
"Ova d'ere." The boy said between his teeth as he bit into the coin. Satisfied it was real, he pointed to the inn across the street. "He said to meet him on the third room to the right on the second floor."
Without another word, Ivan raced towards where Yao waited for him. His hood fell down to reveal his telltale Diamond roots, but he didn't care. All that mattered to him was reuniting with Yao once again, to feel his small body wrapped in his arms; his soft, gentle scent enveloping him.
"Yao!" Ivan slammed the door open, his labored breathing the only sound in the room. Like a dream, Yao sat silently in front of him, his face forever serene and beautiful. Ivan took a stumbling step forward, all his yearning and want embodied in one word.
"Yao…"
The other man seemed to not have noticed the sentiments behind his words. He held up his hand to stop the Diamond from coming any closer. "Stop." When Ivan surprisingly did as he was told, Yao took the chance to observe him more closely.
The Ace of Diamond, who was always impeccable in his attire, was for once disheveled. His hair was unkempt and he was covered entirely in dust. A flicker of emotion broke through Yao's calm demeanor as he saw the hurt and confusion written on the Prince's face. Standing there with his arms outstretched, Ivan looked so helpless.
Determined to get his over and done with, Yao lifted his chin. "I'll say this clearly to you now." He took a steadying breath and gazed directly into those bright, shining violet eyes. "I do not love you. I don't know what I feel for you at all. Despite this, will you come with me? Will you follow me to the Far Eastern Empire?"
Silence engulfed the room, but the shattering of his heart echoed loudly in Ivan's ears. He knew it was a fool's journey to come here, hoping against all odds that Yao returned his feelings.
To only find that Yao would never, ever love him back.
He crumpled to the floor, a bitter laugh escaping him. Unshed tears clouded his vision as the God he worshipped stared at him with unfeeling golden eyes. Even so, he knew what his answer would be. He did not hesitate to choke out his answer.
"Yes."
~Fin~
If you want to know what happens, continue reading for "House of Card FAQ" and "The Eastern Sun Summary".
A/n: After I wrote the real ending in Chapter 8, even I was left unsatisfied with it. So I'm adding the prologue of "The Eastern Sun" and turning it into the epilogue of "House of Cards".
If you want a more ambiguous ending, then you can stop at Ch8. Ch8 is the "official" ending anyway. Even though Ch9 is more definitive, it still leaves the feeling of, "WHAT? This is the end? They just got started!" but I feel a "true love" between them is a looooong ways off and so can't be completed within the sphere of "House of Cards".
Do they end up together? What happens in the sequel? Questions? Confused? Want to know what happened in "The Eastern Sun"? READ ON! or Ctrl + f "House of Card FAQ" for answers to question or if you want to know about the sequel "The Eastern Sun Detailed Summary".
House of Card FAQ
What's with the title "House of Cards"?
Well...the characters are named after cards and 'house of card' sounded familiar so I used it. I'm very bad at coming up with titles and summaries. Anyway, I googled it and it said "an expression used to describe an unstable concept or group of sorts" or "a structure or argument built on a shaky foundation". So I thought it was an appropriate title considering Ivan and Yao's relationship.
Does Yao love Ivan?
Short answer:
No
Long answer:
It's complicated...I suppose it depends on your definition of "love". I tried to not explain Yao's emotions or thoughts behind his every action because I feel that what Yao feels for Ivan can or cannotbe love.
In my mind, Yao is not yet at the stage where he's in love with Ivan, but rather he's tentatively giving them a chance to see if they'll work out. He feels...obligated in a way.
It's that…flattered feeling you get that someone is in love with you. When someone does so much for you, loves you so deeply, you feel that you shouldreturn their feelings. It's kinda like going out with them as a compensation for them loving you when you don't feel the same. In this light, Yao feels something more of pity and guilt at Ivan loving him while he, himself, can't seem to muster the same amount of affection (for now)
It's because of this complicated sort of feeling that I purposely left out Yao's thought process and final decision.
What the hell is with the ending? Explain it again to me IN DETAIL!
Happily ever after? OVERRATED! Although this is a happy ending of sort, nothing is really resolved. I think that kind of ending fits? It's not like WHAM BAM, kidnapping and raping someone will make them fall in love with you. That's not the moral of the story here! I didn't want a complete Stockholm syndrome fic lol.
First let me say, Yao DOES go to the Far Eastern Empire. He never went back to the Diamonds.
Anyway, when Yao returned back to the Hearts, he realized he didn't want to be a Jack anymore. With some protest from Mei, Alfred, and Arthur, Yao still relinquished his role. A part of the reason he did that was because he did want to go back to the East, but a minor part of his decision to go back to the East was because of Ivan. ((In Chapter 4: Empire, Ivan told Yao, "I wish you would go back and take me with you. Then we could leave all of this behind us- our past, present and future. We might even have a happily ever after.")
Just before he sets out to leave for the East, he makes Mei send Ivan a letter. In the letter it's something along the lines of, "I'm going back to the Far East. If what you said that night still holds true, I'll welcome your company."
Another way of interpreting that letter is that Yao basically told Ivan, "If you still love me, give up everything you have and know, and come follow me with all your might."
Personally, I like the ending here even though it leaves people with an half cooked, unsatisfied ending. However, I really DON"T want to write a Stockholm syndrome fic. Because of that, I wanted to leave the fic on a note where it just suggestsYao's feelings for Ivan without having to explicitly say it. Think of it this way: Yao was basically kidnapped, raped and abused by Ivan. The fact that he sends Ivan a letter at all goes to show how much he thinks of Ivan.
What happens to them as a couple? What happens in the sequel?
The sequel focuses primarily on how their relationship develops. It's the main focus of this particular fanfic.
Ivan gave up everything- his position, his power- to meet up with Yao at the port. Starting with a clean slate (Yao: I'll say this clearly to you now, I don't love you. I don't know how I feel about you at all. Do you still want to come with me?), Yao and Ivan begin their journey on the equivalent of the Silk Road.
For Ivan, he lost the power he has an Ace, though he still bears the Mark. The reason is that the power bestowed on the Suits are powers given to them by their Gods. Each God(s) have their specific domain. They cannot pass into another God(s) territory. Once their follower leave their domain, it's out of the God(s) hands. So it's a reverse of what happened in House of Cards. Ivan is helpless and totally dependent on Yao, his ex-captive. Ivan can still fight, he just doesn't have tremendous strength or speed like he did when he was an Ace. However, because Yao experienced traveling over the Silk Road before, he was more capable than Ivan who was somewhat used to riches and luxury.
Anyway, they travel and go through a lot together. Wild beasts, desert storms, bandits, slave traders, etc. (And lots of smex along the way too In the river, in the temple ohoho). Slowly, but surely Yao does fall in love with Ivan.
Forgive me for my broken Chinese lol
[Scene: They finally arrive in the Far Eastern Empire. After the slave trader incident, Yao begins to feel possessive about Ivan, but Ivan doesn't notice this and sorta still thinks his love is unrequited.]
Inn Keeper: 他是您的谁? 朋友? (Who is this? Your friend?)
Yao: (looks at Ivan): 不是. 他很情人啊 (No. He is my lover)
Inn Keeper: 真的? 哇!恭喜您! 他很漂亮啊. (Really? Wa! Congratulations! He is really beautiful) 漂亮 is mostly for girls, but I felt like using it describe Ivan anyway lol
Ivan (confused): What are you two saying?
Yao (poker face): Nothing. Let's go.
Some political intrigue happens when Kiku and Yong-Soo spots them. Anyway, they survive and decide to leave the Eastern Empire as well to find a place where it's just the two of them.
Just as they begin their trek back into the desert, Ivan wants to confirm Yao's feelings because Yao never once told him he loved him.
Ivan: Yao, you love me don't you?
Yao:...Why do you ask? I'm here with you aren't I? Isn't that proof enough?
Ivan: I'm not sure. I find myself hoping that you do, but I can't tell. Do you love me? Say it.
Yao (hesitantly):...Ivan...what I feel for you...is...more than I can possibly describe.
Ivan contently leaves it at that.
Wait, I'm confused. Does that mean there WILL be a sequel?
The most likely answer is, "NO".
I'm backed up with unfinished fics and have at least 6 multi-chapter fics planned. I can't take on anymore. If anyone wants to take the sequel off my hands, you're more than welcome. I don't even mind collaboration as long as I don't have to write it =3=
How old are they?
Physically, Yao is about 20-21. Chronologically, he is about 70.
Ivan is around 18-19 years old.
What's going on with Ivan's dad?
His health is more or less declining. Although not fully stated in the fic, The King of Diamond is a figurehead with Ivan being the real power behind the throne. However, due to his prestige and political backing from the other lords, Ivan has yetkilled him. So for now, they are at a stalemate.
Is Ivan's mom still alive?
She is still alive, but for years she has been imprisoned in her room with no one allowed to visit her. The reasons are unclear, but many speculate it's because the King could so he did. It was his own perverse way of retaliating against Ivan.
Who's the new Jack of Hearts?
Su-san
What happened to Yao and his niece after they hid in the storage room?
After their palace burned down, Yao and his niece found shelter at a nearby town. For a few months, they lived at a temple that looked after orphans. From riches to rags, Yao learned the basics of how to take care of oneself here. However, the war was not over even after the collapse of his royal family. It spilled into the temple and Yao and his niece yet again had to run for their lives.
One night, he stumbled upon a poor old couple. They took pity on him and allowed him to stay with them. Yao took an immediate liking to them and thought of them as his own grandparents. However, the old couple took advantage of his trust and sold the both of them to slave traders for a few gold coins.
En route, one of the slave trader was tempted to just toss Yao's niece over the cliff because she was insistently crying. Yao begged for her life. The slave trader agreed, but only under one condition. Yao had to sleep with him. As Yao debated about the issue, bandits suddenly attacked.
This is where Yao met the ex-General of the Yu Kingdom. He had abandoned his post as a General and now was the leader of a band of bandits. Although reduced to stealing for a living, he still had his morals. He allowed Yao and his niece to go, but Yao begged him to let him join the brigrade. Yao and his niece reminded him of his dead children, so the General took them under his wing. For 10 years, Yao studied under the general, improving and perfecting the swordsmanship he learned from Deming.
When the General died from poisoning and a battle for leadership broke out among the group, Yao left with his niece for the Western Empire.
^None of this made it into the fic, because I felt it was unnecessary. Chapter 4 is already pretty long. I did not want to drag it out. Yes, Yao had a rough past, but that's not the point of the fic :\
What happened to Yao's family?
They all died either by the fire or they were mercilessly killed by the rebels. While not fully stated, Deming committed suicide by perishing in the fire.
What happens to Natalia?
No one is gonna ask this, but this is more for my own reference in case I do write the sequel.
As Ivan is traveling with Yao in the desert, his mark as an Ace becomes a mark as a King. This tells him that his father died and now he's the current King. This also means that the Kingdom of Diamond is without Ivan, their King.
So basically what happened is that Ivan's dad found out that Ivan left them. Angry at that, the King wanted to order his people to 1)Find Ivan and bring him back or 2) if that doesn't work, kill him. By killing Ivan, it would mean that the Ace mark would choose the next closest kin. If Ivan were to live and never come back then the Diamonds would be without their king.
Hearing about this plot, Natalia kills the King for the sake of Ivan's happiness. She takes over the throne in place of Ivan and challenges anyone to try and steal it from her. Natalia proves to be a fearsome Queen. None of her Lords or other Kingdoms were able to topple her.
(With Ivan as King, the new Ace turned out to be Feliks).
The Eastern Sun Detailed Summary
I do not plan to write the sequel, but a few readers asked what happens to Ivan and Yao so I wrote a summary instead.
"Eastern Sun" is split into two parts. The first half focuses on Ivan and Yao traveling on the equivalent of the Silk Road before they reach the Far Eastern Empire. En route, they encounter many setbacks and dangers, but also deepens their relationship. The second half focuses on what happens after they arrive in the Eastern Empire and the trials they go through before, at last, they become a couple.
This summary will only contain scenes that I've developed. The scenes are missing many parts that string them together. Overall, the journey from the Kingdom of Heart to the Far Eastern Empire is roughly 3-5 years.
There are tons of missing scenes that I haven't planned or fleshed out yet. Until I actually plan it out step-by-step until the end…I don't think a sequel is coming anytime soon…
The First Half
The fic opens where "House of Card" left off. Yao purchased two tickets that would take the both of them far east as possible. On the ship, Yao and Ivan share a room with two beds. On their journey, they mostly keep to themselves, but once in awhile emerge to eat or take a breath of fresh air. In the beginning, Ivan tried to initiate some conversation, but Yao simply gave him one worded answer that left no room for conversation. Towards Yao, Ivan adopted a more docile air that changed between boyish adoration and quiet sorrow. It's a reflection of his need to be loved by Yao and his broken heart at being rejected. He veered from attending to all of Yao's need in order to win his affections and silently brooding at his hopeless love.
Though this is true, Ivan is no less of an Ace of Diamond. Because of Yao's physique and the lack of women on the trading ship, a lot of the sailor look to Yao as a replacement for a woman. Yao ignores all the catcalls and invitations and once even broke the fingers of a man that dared touch him. He's more than capable of taking care of himself. Ivan, however, was growing increasingly jealous. One night when they landed to replenish their stock, a drunk sailor from their ship confronted Ivan and said, "That pretty whore is much too good for a half grown boy." He told Ivan that he probably couldn't satisfy Yao and Yao was growing bored of him. Ivan simply smiled and snapped the man's neck. Yao arrived to give Ivan his food and saw the corpse lying at Ivan's feet.
Y: Is there a reason why you killed him?
I: *Shrugs* He annoyed me.
Y: We're going to be in a lot of trouble if you kill everyone that annoyed you. *Stares at the body* Pack your things. We're leaving tonight before they figure out you killed one of their own. We can't go by ship anymore.
I: How are we going to travel now if not by water?
Y: You should've thought of that before you killed him. *Ties down the body and kicks it into the ocean*
Yao and Ivan begin traveling east by horseback. Ivan, coming from a privileged background and a cold country, is unused to harshness of traveling. The heat and humidity gets to him. More and more often, Yao finds himself taking care of Ivan. He has to make sure they are hydrated, hunt and barter for food while Ivan looks after their things. Ivan can fight, but he's not much use when it comes to gathering their provisions. (While it's not calculated on Ivan's part, because Yao has to look after him, Yao starts to realize he cares for Ivan's well being.)
3 months in, Ivan and Yao run into the mercenaries hired by Ivan's father. They quickly deal with them and figure out that Ivan's father wants him back, dead or alive.
Another month later, Ivan feel the burn of his mark move from his hand to his chest. His father is dead and the Kingdom of Diamond is without their King. No more assassins come after the death of Ivan's father. (As explained in HOC FAQ, Natalia killed the King and now rules the Diamonds as Queen. She ordered the people to stop looking for Ivan).
Blah blah. More scenes. Lots of stuff happen in between.
They find an river and decide to camp there. Unable to resist anymore, Ivan crawls into Yao's bedroll. He wait for Yao to refuse or push him off, but when it doesn't come, he slowly bends down for a kiss. In the beginning, Yao was just as indifferent to Ivan's advances as he was when he was captured. Anguished over the fact that nothing changed since then, Ivan failed to notice the tiny changes like Yao's quiet panting or the way he rocked back just a little bit.
On Yao's side, even though appearance wise he looks expressionless, inwardly, his heart sped up with anticipation when Ivan got on top of him. He's suddenly plagued with nervousness that he didn't feel when Ivan first forced him. It's not nervousness that stemmed from fear, but the kind because an unexplainable feeling engulfed him. Unconsciously, he responds back to Ivan's touches and finds himself enjoying it. (As long as Ivan keeps initiating, Yao can blame everything onto Ivan. He doesn't has to admit to anything when Ivan is the one "forcing him).
Travel a bit more, blah blah blah. Lots of stuff happen.
They reach the border where West meets East. This far out, people that look like Ivan gets more rare. Yao notices the way people stare at Ivan and particularly dislikes the greedy looks of a few men. He tells him to cover his hair and face. Too late, they stay at an inn and get ambushed by slave traders. Anesthesia was put into their food (and Yao no longer a Jack and Ivan unprotected by his mark this far east), was easily overcome. When Yao woke up, he's caged up with other people kidnapped and was prepared to be sold. He looks around and Ivan is nowhere to be found. He somehow breaks out and sets the other prisoners free. He goes up the ladder and find that he's in a brothel. He then goes on a rampage, disposing of everyone in his way in order to find Ivan. He corners a servant and demands he tells him where they hid Ivan. The servant says he doesn't know, but from the way his eyes darted around him, Yao could tell he's lying. Anger like he never felt before filled him and with icy calm, Yao asked him again politely where they were keeping Ivan and for every time he said , "I don't know", Yao would break a finger. To prove his point, Yao stepped on the man's pinky. The man quickly told him Ivan was "serving" one of their guests. Yao's anger turned cold at hearing the man's word and so broke the man's picky anyway before he stomped off to find Ivan and kill whoever dared touch him.
When he finds the room, he see's Ivan half way undressed and half unconscious. He's panting and flushed face with a man looming over him. (The man didn't get to do anything further than disrobe Ivan though *whew*). Yao makes quick work of the man, smashing his face into the wall. He puts Ivan's arm over his shoulder and carries him out. With all the damage Yao did, no one dared stand in his way as he marched out of the brothel.
Yao notices Ivan is feverish and he's breathing heavily. He doesn't even respond when Yao calls his name. Not knowing what else to do, he brings him to the local doctor. The doctor says Ivan was given an aphrodisiac that brothels often give to their more "disobedient" merchandise. It's an illegal drug, but brothels still use it occasionally. It'll wear off on its own after a few hours, but until then, it's very painful for the patient. It's like their body is burning inside out. When Yao asked if there's anything to ease Ivan's pain, the doctor slyly smiled at him.
Doc: Of course there is. Semen.
Yao: *wide eyed* Excuse me?
Doc: Semen. The drug reacts with the male semen. Once it enters the patient's body, it neutralizes the poison. This, added with other ingredients, make the girls willing partners. *Looks at Yao's blank face and back at Ivan's* If sex is not an option, digesting it would have the same effect. It'll just be a slower recovery.
Yao thanks the doctor and carries a delirious Ivan out. It's late and it begins to rain hard. Left with no other choice, Yao settles them into an abandon temple. Yao gets a fire going and every time Ivan groaned in pain, his eyes would flicker over to him in concern. It thunders outside and the rain pours. Deciding that it's best to get out of the wet clothes first, Yao removed his tunic and shirt and hung it over the fire. Afraid he'll get sick, Yao also begins to remove Ivan's clothes. As he's removing Ivan's drenched shirt, he brushed against his naked chest. Ivan elicits a pleasured filled moan.
With Ivan laid out in front of him, drugged, Yao bit his lips and had an inner debate. His hands inches up across Ivan's chest and he loses to temptation. "It's for his own good," Yao told himself as he kissed his way up Ivan's body.
Ivan is very responsive to him, his eyes glassy from fever. In addition to the semen drug [lol], the other ingredients heightens sense of touch, with a little bit of ecstasy-ish stuff mixed in. He clings to Yao and is over all very wild. Yao tries to take him gently, but Ivan claws and bucks for Yao to be rough and hard. When Ivan screams his release, Yao kisses him and apologizes, "Sorry." (Marks the point that Yao willingly and even initiated sleeping with Ivan. Yao will tell himself it's because of the situation, but a part of his mind whispers to him it's because he wanted to, not because he had to.)
Yao stays up to make sure Ivan's fever goes down. Once he's sure Ivan would recover, he held the sleeping Prince in his arms and fell asleep too.
Waking up the next morning, the entire event of the previous day is a complete blank to Ivan. The drug acts like a roofie. Once it takes effect, you remember nothing. He's startled to see a naked Yao sleeping next up to him. He sits upright and begins to panic; a sense of dread coming over him when he feels liquid dribble out of his ass. Yao wakes up a few seconds later to Ivan's panic. He sits up as well and watches expressionless as Ivan starts panicking.
I: What did you do?
Y: I slept with you.
I: You…violated me? Why can't I remember? WHAT DID YOU DO? *Betrayal like no other brought out his old fear and anger*
Y: The men at the inn drugged you with an aphrodisiac.
(Ivan furrows his brows. He remembers a little bit of that part).
Y: *Tells Ivan the story* When I bought you back, you were in a lot of pain. A physician told me the only way to save you was by giving you semen. Why else would I sleep with you? (Yao tells a white lie so it would seem like he had no choice, when in fact he did.)
Ivan seemingly deflated in front of Yao. Embarrassment, shame, and horror replaced his anger. At Ivan's pained expression, Yao reflexively reached a hand up to caress Ivan's cheek. Shocked by the action, Ivan stared at him speechless. Yao retracted his hand as if burned. He apologizes to Ivan for what he did and he'd understand if Ivan didn't forgive him. Ivan just silently nodded his head. When their clothes were dried, they dressed with their backs facing each other.
I:Was it for revenge?
Y: *quick to understand what Ivan meant, he replied after a thought* No. It wasn't revenge.
I: Then why did you do it? Why didn't you just let me suffer? (Due to Yao's lie, Ivan doesn't know the drug fades away after a few hours).
Y: *Pauses* I…couldn't stand to see you suffer anymore. You needed help so I helped.
I: *back still facing Yao* Is that all there is?
Y:…Yes…
More stuff happen.
There's even more tension and awkwardness between them now. Yao can't believe he succumbed to temptation and, well, basically raped Ivan. He feels guilty and regretful of his actions. Now more than ever, he feels responsible for him. But mixed in with those emotions was a sick sense of satisfaction that Ivan was his at least once. For Ivan, it was a mixture of hate and love. His love for Yao didn't diminish and in fact, some part of him was deliriously happy that Yao made love to him. Yao did desire him at least a little bit. It wasn't a hopeless love. The other part wanted to make Yao suffer, choke the living day light out of him. How dare he violate him when he was vulnerable? He didn't need his pity. He was mortified by the fact that Yao didn't sleep with him because he wanted to, but because he thought it was his duty. For that, Ivan couldn't forgive him.
Ivan found himself veering from wanting to being beside Yao 24/7 to being disgusted with the sight of him. Yao, on the outside was oblivious to the change in Ivan's manner and seemed indifferent still. However, he sent death glares to whoever stared at Ivan. In truth, ever since the kidnapping, Yao was finding himself uncharacteristically possessive of Ivan. He was careful to keep his expression neutral, but on the inside, he couldn't stand the sight of other's looking at Ivan with curiosity or interest. Ivan does not notice this and still thinks it's an unrequited (albeit twisted) love for Yao.
His temper explodes one day and he pushes Yao down onto the ground.
Y: *raises eyebrow* Is this your revenge? *Repeats Ivan's words*
I: *hisses his reply* Yes.
Y: *lifts his head to kiss Ivan, momentarily stunning him* If this will soothe your pride, then go ahead.
^After this Ivan ravishes a willing (though unresponsive) Yao, Ivan sulks a bit, but he isn't as anger with Yao anymore. Surprisingly, Yao takes it all in stride and finally admits to himself that he enjoys making love to Ivan (whether as seme or uke). He looks forward to it even (though he doesn't tell Ivan this). But Yao see's this as lust, not love. Long way to go still before love…(this is all physical still after all).
Blah blah. Random scenes before they finally arrive on the outskirts of the Eastern Empire.
The Second Half
Inn Keeper: 他是您的谁? 朋友? (Who is this? Your friend?)
Yao: (looks at Ivan): 不是. 他很爱人啊 (No. He is my lover)
Inn Keeper: 真的? 哇!恭喜您! 他很漂亮啊. (Really? Wa! Congratulations! He is really beautiful)
Ivan (confused): What are you two saying?
Yao (poker face): Nothing. Let's go.
At this point, Yao acknowledges that Ivan is his lover. He's attached to him on a physical if not (he thinks) on an emotional level. He's a little bit more prone to tease and banter with Ivan now although it's in a deadpan way. At first Ivan is misses most of Yao's jokes, but he slowly notices the little nuances and hints that allowed him to know when Yao was being playful. He flirted back when occasions called for it. When he gained enough confidence, he asked teasingly does Yao still feel indifferent to him. Yao immediately closed down and replied stoned face, "No, I'm not indifferent, but neither am I in love."
After that incident, Ivan never asked the question again. (Yao is such a bastard ="'=).
I actually haven't thought out the second half as well as I should.
*Yao and Ivan visit the old Zi Kingdom
*Goes to the University to read up on whatever they could find about what happened to the Zi after Yao left.
*Catches the eye of Yong Soo and then a political intrigue or whatever snowballs from here.
*One more smut scene where Ivan and Yao connect both body and heart at last. (I: Do you love me? Y:*instead of answering, pulls his head down for a passionate kiss*)
They leave the Far Eastern Empire after the chaos they caused and decide to wander together with no destination in mind. As long as they were together, it didn't matter where they ended up.
I: I love you (as cross they desert)
Y: I know.
I: Do you love me?
Y: *looks at Ivan* I'm here aren't I?
I: *takes hold of Yao's reigns* Yao, I hand to pick up the pieces of my heart every time you broke it. Tell me, do you love me?
Y: *stares searchingly at Ivan before leaning over for a kiss. He whispers against Ivan's lips* More than words can possibly describe, I love you.
Corny ending of some sort.
Development of Ivan and Yao
Yao: Initially, he's still indifferent to Ivan, but the close proximity and being alone with him for years, causes Yao to develop some sort of attachment to him. It's something Yao often ignores or refuses to delve deeper into. While Ivan is somewhat brutal and perhaps cruel to their enemies, Yao does not fail to notice that when they are alone, Ivan acts sweet and on occasion shy. At times, he catches himself thinking Ivan is cute. Yao realizes his feelings for Ivan is changing, but through his inner turmoil, he keeps his face and actions impeccably emotionless. However, when they made love (in the river and temple), his couldn't stop himself from touching Ivan and the little sound that escapes. It was not until Ivan was kidnapped did Yao admit to himself that he found Ivan appealing. Even then, he did not consider it love, but more like lust. After the incident at the palace, Yao finally realized he was in love with Ivan.
Ivan: From a Prince of a kingdom to a dependent on Yao, Ivan had to learn to how life was like outside of the Kingdom of Diamonds. Once he passed the border that divided the Western half with the Eastern, he became almost useless on their journey. He was completely frustrated not only with himself but the situation he was in. He was in a hopeless love with Yao and there was nothing he could do to change the situation. Nevertheless, he wanted be beside him for as long as Yao would allow. But the sense of uselessness and the thought that Yao did not want or need him ate at him until he was just a shadow of who he once was. The journey was both a salvation and torture for him. As they maneuvered through the politics of the Eastern Empire, Ivan begins to notice the subtle change in his relationship with Yao. He becomes Yao's only sole ally and the one he trusts with his life. After the incident at the palace, Ivan is almost certain Yao loves him and his cocky self comes back in full force albeit in just a teasing manner.
