Counting Sheep
That was nice. Having Yi curl up by my side, give a few warm breaths and give in to sleep is almost as good. When he nuzzles my chest in response to my touching his hair, that is better.
Perfect.
There's just one thing we're missing.
"Yi, kitten-"
There's a hoarse, drowsy "I am not a kitten, Cao Pi."
"Hm,why? You need a pet name, now that we're a couple. I want to call you something that no one else does."
"Hmph, we've only been a couple for a few hours..." There's a playful enough tone in his voice, followed by a languid yawn.
"Not true, if you count how long we've known each other. In that case, we're practically married."
"Hm, I do not believe that those years are even partial credit. But if giving me some name matters to you so, go ahead."
Yi stretches. I exhale on the top of his head and drum my fingers along his back as I think up a name.
"Doe? Kitten? Dove?" Zhen responded well to those, didn't she? But, there's no soft giggles or sighs in response now.
"Is this some joke, Pi? Or have you forgotten that you did not pick me up from a pet store?"
So Yi's unamused by those names?That's one difference that I can count between him and her.
"Mm, sorry, babe." Yi flinches.
"...That new name is even worse, Pi...Is this truly necessary?" I grip Yi to me and speak into his ear.
"For me, it is. If you don't like those names, do you have something to suggest, Yi?" He sighs, and is silent a moment.
"Zhongda. It... is my middle name... I don't think anyone else in the world calls me by it, though." I take a look at his face.
"Zhongda? That's good; and, so long as we're using obscure middle names, call me Zihuan."
"May we please just go to sleep now?" I lay there, clutching Zhongda to my side.
"Yeah."
Well, this isn't really a chapter; more like a vignette. But it gives an excuse to start using their style-names without having to confront the fact that style-names aren't that used in the modern US. That, and Sima gets called kitten.