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Within the warm furnishings of the brothel room, Shen Jiu and Mobei Xuemao sat staring at each other across a spread of food, in silence.

Or perhaps more accurately, Shen Jiu sat with the poise and bearing of a noble as drilled into his body and mind by his Shizun's instruction, neck still tingling as he healed the scratches inflicted there, while the young princeling demon kit sprawled back against the scented silks of the padded bed, barely covered and staring at him with half-lidded predatory eyes.

"Did Shen Jiu gather these himself?"

His temper flared, twisting across his face in a scowl.

The demon had sorely mistaken their shiny new dynamic if this entitled, spoiled beastling thought that Shen Jiu was some sort of slave to run around fetching things and serving him- ! "No," Shen Jiu snarled. "This one asked the girls of this establishment to bring two servings of what their kitchen served this evening up to the door of this room, wherefrom this retrieved them, as this Shen Jiu is not in fact a servant" Little baby snow leopard Xiao-Mao belonged to him, owed him and he better forget it!

Mobei Xuemao's eyebrows furrowed, drawing the spot patterns into what would be a fearsome expression if his mouth was not also pursed enough to push his lower lip out slightly. Shen Jiu sneered in response.

He huffed, tilting his head to one side, which with the weight of four antlers sticking out of his skull must put hellish strain on his neck. "Then do you claim this place as territory?"

And all thoughts of the demon's possible discomforts incinerated under the roaring inferno that swept through him.

There was an assessing look in those dark framed eyes, like Noble-Bloodline Mobei Xuemao was thinking about this information with the aim to use it, like he's making plans around Shen Jiu being involved with the industry of trading coin for sexual 'favours'.

He gripped his knees under the low table to put them near his blades and keep the qi gathering in pricking tingles at his fingertips contained before he caused explosive damage releasing his dual nature-charged qi. This did nothing to control his face or mouth, both twisting into a forcefully contained seethe, "And just what concern is it of Ice-demon Xuemao's where this Shen Jiu associates himself or not?"

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Xuemao blinked at his suitor, pupils widening slowly to take in the ferocity of his potential mate in protection of an unexpectedly uncovered insecurity; he had no personal territory, or what he did have must be based in a coalition alliance with the qi merchants (or whatever the humans called their own who dealt in exchanges of qi and information through brief twinings of flesh and essence) and unstable due to such clans regularly changing location from satellite base to base to ply their trade, gathering and selling qi and knowledge.

It stood to reason that humans would have similar systems and explained why the room Shen Jiu had chosen to display a first impression of his territory was ingrained with many-layered musks yet none of his own and why as a human he would know of demon-specific knowledge of qi and traditions, when so far in his life Xuemao had only ever encountered such in Ai Liming, who herself had the scent mark of a suitor.

Shen Jiu must be an information-inclined merchant of his alliance, so when Xuemao invited him to lay claims of his skill and effort in hunting, sourcing and preparing the foods offered to him, he was actually casting doubt upon his fitness as a partner for his communal dependency. Especially as his higher-tier position meant he was not one tasked with hunting for his clan's provisions, so he might not actually have been taught or learned how to Hunt.

Which might be a problem once they began the Summer Year proceedings.

...Though Xuemao could swallow his disappointment at some lack lustre battles if Shen Jiu proved himself as deadly as his first impression implied in areas outside raw strength. Sometimes fighting a tricky opponent with sharp mind was just as good as a strong one with heavy weapons.

Though with his level of offence at being taken of a lower caste and the indignant flaring of his burning-pine-sap-saltwater qi presence, it was strange then, that he hadn't named his alliance in his personal introduction…

Oh.

Shen Jiu wanted to leave his merchant-clan.

That was why he hadn't claimed association, why he hadn't brought in the overarching leader of his group to officially recognise the suit of one of theirs for Xuemao.

His suitor wanted independence but didn't have the means to break out of his bonds and establish himself alone without them killing a rogue immediately. Shen Jiu was pursuing Xuemao of Mobei blood for the protection his power had proved him capable of, while promoting himself as having the experience and skill to make a capable Queen of the home territory and people under Xuemao (under Mobei-Jun by then, he would be. There was no question of his dedication toripping his birth right from Linguang Baijing's warm dead heart if he had to). By courting Xuemao instead of swearing to him, he had established desires of partnership over a servant's subjugation while still tying himself to a more powerful partner in hierarchy, an intriguing contradiction of freedom while seeking a den's comfort to claim as a permanent home.

His suitor had his dull teeth bared in display, ready and willing to fight right now if Xuemao sought to take advantage of this vulnerability. A burning soul that would guard their nest in a ring of impassable, unquenchable fire against any invader, including Xuemao it seemed.

He let his chin tilt up, fearlessly exposing the vulnerability of his throat while projecting all the strength, the heritage, the power he had honed the presence of in that damp, acrid prison from the scraps of his remembered childhood, the advice of the obsidian-eyed Hunter and the reactions of the pathetic gilded weeds.

"This Prince is honour-bound to offer all the aid and protection of partnership to Shen Jiu for the extent of our engagement and to do so must know the threats of opposition, to keep them from interfering in the matters of this affair."

Even if his suitor failed to match him, Xuemao needed the other to be free and able to participate in their Summer Year without reservation to test their Match properly with full honour... and to have rightful claim over his wild, raging storm of qi and Core if Shen Jiu betrayed his expectations and became prey.

The human blinked, face slackening and qi softening, something indecipherable flickering through his being before it closed off behind the icy walls of his courter's mind.

"Speaking of threats," he began with cool, false idleness, "Is this one to be concerned that Huan Hua Palace Sect has staked claim to capture my Xuebao?" Snow Leopard. An interesting epithet to bestow so early in their courtship, particularly as Shen Jiu had shown no recognition of Xuemao's name and his mother's Clan was generally perceived as more of a legend than a living bloodline. If it was solely from observation of Xuemao's skin patterns… then it was an indication that he was both looking and very much liked what he saw.

Xuemao casually preened his hair with his claws, subtly moving strands away to better display his antlers.

"This Xuemao freed himself from the containment of the golden scum by mastery of the portal ability of my abyssal leopard bloodline, as expected. Now that I can touch the light of the moon once more and Hunt sustenance for myself, there will never be a time when I'm recaptured."

Didn't react other than to blink and ask, "What purpose does a cultivation Sect have for keeping a demon captive?" Neutral. Unreadable.

Was he doubting Xuemao's strength?

Reconsidering his choice of Pursuit for Matehood?

Was he contemplating the potential of selling Xuemao back to those soulless puppets of greed, if he thought he could make a better profit off that than Bonding?

Xuemao was suddenly very aware that he was injured, exhausted and had no functional idea of where he was in the human's realm and how to get home (not that there was safety waiting for him there either).

He bristled with the bolt of apprehension, fear, adrenalin, skin prickling where the short fur on his arms and chest stood on end. A low growled rumbled in his chest, "Human Shen Jiu should not concern himself with the paltry threat of cowardly human bindings and cages. This Prince has mastered the world-stepping techniques of his bloodline and make a rift and leave at his own leisure, as he has already proved." He flashed his fangs, "Shen Jiu should not be concerned for my capability."

Shen Jiu bared his dull teeth right back, "I asked for more than just Xuemao; the world spins larger webs than encompass one small kitten. I have… personal interest in the poisoned shadows of Huan Hua and its Master." His sharp green eyes burned with fierce intensity, he drew one of his daggers and leaned closer, resting an elbow on the table and levelling the glinting blade tip in his direction, "So tell me every little thing you know about the practices and purposes of demon capture by Huan Hua Palace."

His short furs deflated slowly (embarrassingly visibly. He could hear that harsh, icy rasp in his ear now, CONTROL YOUR EMOTIONS, BE AS IMPENETRABLE AS THE HEART OF THE FROZEN DESERT. NO WEAKNESS, NO WARMTH, NO MERCY.…His father had never approved of expressiveness and Xuemao's maternal traits leant so easily to it). He shifted to disguise it slightly. Maybe this was why prospective mates don't bare their soul-skins to each other straight off- other than the potential core-theft of course.

He scowled at his sharp little Hunter, itchy discomfort turning his tone surly. "What is Shen Jiu willing to trade for Xuemao to disclose his information?" Potential mate or not, Shen Jiu was an information tradesman and should handle such business matters as these accordingly, offering an equivalent exchange.

For the purpose of revenge against a shared enemy, Xuemao would have shared what he knew anyway, but it was important to establish power dynamics early on in every relationship. Xuemao did not object to being the protector and provider (being evidently - though yet unproven - the stronger between them), but he would not be manipulated, controlled, used for his mate's gain and games, thinking himself was too clever to be caught.

Shen Jiu paused and blinked. Something shifted behind his expression and he snorted. Xuemao watched with narrowed gaze as his opponent's lips tugged into a smirk. Usually, a fox would pout if robbed of a trick or denied a meal. Had that been a test? Was he testing Xuemao's intelligence as spine as a mate? "Feisty Xiao-Mao... does the little kitten perhaps… want something in particular?" He snorted, breaking the sensual mockery of his tone, "For information given, this one will disclose some information about himself in return"

A good opportunity. Except.

"Equivalent length. And detail."

His clever suitor's head propped itself on the back of the hand holding the dagger, a crescent of white teeth widening lazily, "Maomao is very interested in this lowly one, yet this Shen Jiu is denied... satisfying this very same curiosity from Xuemao by this exchange." His lips pursed in an exaggerated pout, emphasising their plump fullness even as his eyes stayed cold and assessing "Cruel and savage Xuebao, asking this one to bare his soul for vague scraps about his enemy." He sniffed, nose turned up and aside, shoulders tilting to expose the smooth jade column of his throat and turning bared vulnerability into powerful temptation, "This one feels slighted."

Oh, this pursuer of his was a sly one. Even as they negotiated terms of transaction, he sought to soften things to his favour through seductive distraction, even though they both knew that he was in no way offering such things for trade. Resourceful, and willing to ruthlessly use all the tools at his disposal to achieve his desired outcome.

Xuemao stretched out languidly, luxuriating in a full display of his muscular arms and chest (though sadly more wiry definition and bone than the thick, full muscle it would become once he had access to regular, quality food to pair with his newly-earned freedom to exercise fully in hunting), arching his back slightly and bringing his tail to curl on top of the pale spring green sheets. Catching richer green shades flickering down his display, attempting to hide his appreciation, was equally satisfying.

"This Xuemao's Baihu concerns himself needlessly, this Prince will share the threats and enemies from his line and together-" he bared his fangs and leaned over the small spread of food laid between them, nostrils flaring with the imagined scent of blood. "Together, we will conquer, crush them, and feast."

Battle-brightness gleamed back at him, matching the shine of steel, leaning closer.

Pink lips parted around pearly white teeth as a silken whisper slipped between them, "Tell me more."

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The demonic snow kitten slept insultingly peacefully as Shen Jiu sat awake across the room, once again sewing as he contemplated his available information.

So. His thoughts shifted in time with the motion of the bone needle in and out of the cheap cloth piled in his lap. A rhythmic, logical progression. Almost meditative. First; it seems the two of them have more in common that he'd thought.

Both abandoned as children by someone they called family. Both trapped in their circumstance. Forced to free themselves, because no one ever came.

Except Linguang-Jun of the White Eyes had deposited Prince Xuemao of the Mobei throne in the human realm with the express purpose of seeing him killed with just enough deniability to escape vengeance from Mobei-Jun.

Except instead of naive loyalty to a promise first and the chains of poverty and social class later, the cage was far more literal- deep underground and dark, carved with seals on the walls and poison fumes in the air. Kept, apparently, for the rare commodity of his annually shed antlers. Crystal Frost Fuzhu antlers, highly valued for their diamond beauty, purification properties and usages in divination. Not to mention their sheer scarcity.

Oh yes, Huan Hua Palace must have made a very attractive sum off of his demonic Snow leopard. Ha! He knew there was a putrid stink to their wealth, beyond their extortionate entrance fees and dealings with the slave trade.

...Which led back to Xuemao...and his escape.

Another point of mirrored difference- Shen Jiu escaped in a blazing inferno of heat and fire, Xuemao in a swirling vortex of cold and darkness. Shen Jiu got out alone, Xuemao... had help.

A woman who took appeared only infrequently, to check his health and collect his antlers. With dark, piercing eyes and wild, curly hair, a powerful cultivator of yang metal alignment, who taught him just enough about seals to escape, about humans and her Sect to remain free, who wore two beads in thin, innocuous braids, one blue lace agate carved with a spiral and the other black obsidian, set with the symbol of the sun.

Ai Liming.

A woman who had vanished, unreachable through any communication Shen Jiu knew, from communication talismans to enchanted messenger leaves to mortal letters.

Su Xiyan.

A woman who's Master, who's Sect Leader who'd bought her from slave traders as property, who had been raising furore about a plot, a scheme, of kidnapping and manipulation by the demon realm, by the Southern Emperor Tianlang-Jun. A woman who, if Xuemao was to be believed, had been acively colluding with more demons than just her pretty pet Emperor.

San-jie.

Who was now missing.


Notes:

Following demon naming trends:
• Baijing- white eye
• Baihu- arctic fox
• Xuemao- Snow cat, Xuebao- snow leopard, Xiao-mao- kitten,
• Ai Liming- obscured cloudy sky, bright black dawn. The reverse of 'Xiyan'- colours of sunset/dusk and 'Tian'- vast sky. SXYs covert name .

Meet my ~timeline shenanigans~
• TLJ subjugation hasn't happened yet, but it's looming
• SJ is a memeber of QJ, but not yet names as SQQ
• SJ met SXY years ago (prob at an IAConference) and has been keeping in contact with her since

Demon culture notes:
• Each clan has an assigned gem and symbol, usually a carved bead. Shows heritage and close associations (like mate bonding, blood-brother-type kin adoption, etc.). Given upon passing a clan-specific trial of majority, such as mastering a specific talent or completing a traditional task.