Little Purple

It was another peaceful night in Jin Ye. The sky was dark as the moon was covered by the clouds yet again. It was hard for the diurnal bird to see at night, so when it wasn't urgent, it rested its wings on a nest that Hu Ye built for him long ago.

The bird looked at the now cold and solemn courtyard that once filled with laugh and love. It felt like it was just yesterday when its master and his wife would go out when they heard the flap of its wings. As it became a habit for it to flap harder to make the sound louder so its master could hear.

Even today, it flapped its wing as hard as it could yet no one ca—

"Ah, Fei Ying." Zhi Shao Yao looked at the eagle with glittering eyes, she was always amazed by how big and smart Fei Ying was. "Xiao Yi, it's Fei Ying! I wonder if it came back to deliver something for father again."

Hu Xiang Yi looked up to the big bird. His eyes—that usually only half opened—slowly widened. He gapped. "It's so big…" It seemed like it was the first time he saw Fei Ying up close.

"It is an eagle." Jin Tao followed them into the lotus courtyard. "Of course it is big."

"Its big and thick…" Hu Xiang Yi gulped. "Must be tasty."

Zhi Shao Yao and Jin Tao's eyes suddenly widened at his statement. Zhi Shao Yao broke into cold sweat. "Um… Xiao Yi, I don't think that you can eat Fei Yi—"

"Of course, it is tasty." Suddenly Ten came out of the gate. It seemed like he had been following them around in the shadow. He was here because he doesn't feel good sleeping in a place full of 'seal' so he went ahead and followed Hu Zi to her home. "If you want to eat it, tell me, I know exactly what kind of seasoning needed to prepare the delish." He smirked, making a face full of pride.

"Wait! What?" Zhi Shao Yao's jaw dropped, making a funny look of disbelief.

Looking at her silly expression, Ten chuckled. "I am kidding about the tasty part, steamed bun. In the desert, we have desert eagles around as pets too. We don't eat them."

"I… I see…" Zhi Shao Yao blinked. "Wait… Who did you call steamed bun?"

"Yeah, who are you calling a steamed bun?" Jin Tao protested. "She is definitely more like a demon than a food!"

"Shut up! I am not a demon either!" She pouted, making her cheek bigger and looked like two steamed buns even more.

When Zhi Shao Yao, Jin Tao, and Ten played around with each other, Hu Xiang Yi still looked at Fei Ying with glittering eyes, he made the poor eagle felt uncomfortable.

Hu Xiang Yi's eyes glinted dangerously. Slowly, he took a step forward and got closer to the nest. Fei Ying unconsciously jumped to the branch that was farther to the back of the nest.

The eagle was lucky, there was a voice coming from the Peony courtyard, Zhi Yu was calling him with a special flute.

Fei Ying immediately heeded his call and flew away from Hu Xiang Yi.

-----


The cold night air blew, making some of his tidy hair that was tightened into a bun on top of his head loosened and fall beside his cheek. He wanted to ask the prince about Hu Zi's birth, but the prince didn't wake up until the imperial doctor came and took charge of him.

His small and beautiful face seemed a bit pale as the work he did exhaust himself a bit too much.

No, it wasn't his work.

More like the man he was working with today.

Just the vague shadow of his smirk irritated the beautiful young man to an extreme level. He clicked his tongue.

"What happened? Why are you making such a lousy face, Sui?" Tora chuckled. Fa Sui didn't realize that he was there all the time while Fa Sui was waiting for Zhi Yu in the garden in front of his room.

"Tora!" Fa Sui looked up to the roof. There, he saw the shadow of a man. He was around the same height as Falcon but thinner. His amber eyes seemed to gleam as he stared back at Fa Sui's shocked eyes. He tilted his head and gave a crafty smile. "I was wondering around the house while Ten is tailing the kids. I realized that someone is missing, where is your lover?"

Fa Sui raised his eyebrow, looking at Tora with doubt. "Who?"

"That man that sometimes visited you when we are still in the academy."

"...Who?"

"Stop pretending, Sui."

There was only one such a guy but Fa Sui's face got dark when he thought that Tora was shipping him with that guy. "Why are you searching for him anyway?"

"He is a very interesting fellow, your lover, that is." Tora smirked. "He had this unique scent on his body."

"Scent?" Fa Sui wondered. Suddenly, the possible meaning behind Tora's words dawned on him. He gulped and jumped to the roof, whispering to Tora with a shocked expression. "You… You mean… He... He is a girl too?"

"..." Tora immediately gave Fa Sui the side-eyes. "Explain what made you take that kind of conclusion."

"Don't you remember the first time we met? You asked me why I was able to enter the academy even though I was a girl." Fa Sui rolled his eyes. A t that time, Tora could smell Fa Sui's feminine scent and nailed his real gender perfectly.

Tora's eyes widened. He suddenly laughed. "No, I didn't smell the feminine scent that girls had from him. Although it was vague, it was very unique. I only smelled a bit of it when I saw him long ago in the academy, I wondered if I can get a stronger smell if I go near him now."

"He is away for a mission, you won't find him here."

"Do you know where his room is? Maybe there will still be a faint smell from places he often visits so..."

"He had been away for a while, I am not sure if you can still smell his scent there."

"I see… That's too bad."

Fa Sui's face went darker and darker when he thought that Tora wanted to sneak into Falcon's room. "You… Your habit of stalking people you took interest in does not change, does it?"

"This is not stalking, this is researching." Tora smiled sincerely. "Sui, can I have some of the green crystal flower herbs you have in your office, it will be good for Ten's health."

"I locked the office's door… Did you just identify it from the smell?" The corner of Fa Sui's mouth twitched. "The green crystal herb is distinguishable because of the color and shape of its flower. Not the smell. You dog…"

"...What did you just call me?" There was a vein popping on Tora's head.

"I should've called you that since the first time I met you, doggy."

"Damn you, gender bender trouble!" Tora snapped. "The title of the best graduate shouldn't have been given to a faker like you!"

"Heh, I scored the highest on every test, of course, it's mine. You runner up loser!

"You only score higher than me on the written test, I scored perfectly when it comes to field test." Tora made a smug face.

"That was only because you are a dog, damn it!" Fa Sui stomped.

"I am human, you damned gender bender trouble!"

"Shut up, you dog! What kind of human could differentiate a hundred herbs with just their smell?" Fa Sui pointed. "You are definitely not a human!"

"Heh, you are just jealous because even though you are the best graduate, the title 'crimson doctor' wasn't given to you."

Fa Sui clicked his tongue. "That title is not fit for a lazy bump like you who only count on talent, not hard work!"

The title crimson crescent moon—the crimson doctor for short—was given to an exceptional and extraordinary individual that graduated from the medical academy. Unlike the 'best graduate' title, the 'crimson moon' title wasn't given every year, so it was very special.

Just when they were about to argue again, a sound was heard from below the roof.