Changelog [1/9/12]: This story has a couple of small timeline errors compared to the canon, which you may not even notice. It will stay as it is because I can't really change it, but I will be more careful in the future.

Changelog [2/11/17]: Some minor stylistic edits, and changed the cover and description. Also, this fic was previously marked complete as a two-shot, but now I am leaving it open. Just in case.

Chapter 1: The After Party

It was the night after Infinite Band's successful debut concert in Infinite Rhapsody hall, and everyone was celebrating.

Swan and Yulian had planned everything perfectly so that the tour's after-party fell on a weekend. This way, the band as well as their fans could stay up late in Second Life (which inevitably meant they'd be waking up later in real life). Those that had to be up for work or do week-end cram classes left extremely disappointed, but everyone else following Infinite Band's tour flooded the streets and taverns of Infinite City for what would become Second Life's biggest-ever party.

Aside from celebrating the band's very fruitful tour, it was also a sneak-preview of Infinite City itself. Therefore, Yulian had all the available shopkeepers and vendors keep their doors open late into the night to welcome the guests with special promotions and previews of their products. The goal was to make every player anticipate the final opening of Infinity City to the point where they'd gladly sell their own foot just to live there. (Not that that was ever going to be a problem.) Infinite Band itself was hosting the party at Infinite Restaurant. Kenshin and Sunshine were playing the bouncers; whenever a fangirl got too rowdy, they would politely suggest she go see some of the other sites.

Two of the band members were missing, though. Wicked had to go to the lab the next day for a project, while Ice Phoenix had to babysit her little brother while her parents were out of town.

"It's not my fault, alright?" Wicked winced as Yulian wished him a fun day with a sweet but strangely chilling smile. "Do you think I'd rather be writing up lab reports or hanging out with you guys?" He shot a glare at Gui, who was pushing the boundaries of personal space with Prince, as usual.

Meanwhile, Ice Phoenix was overheard saying, "He's tall enough to turn on the TV, he can look after himself," before Wolf very purposefully steered her out of the restaurant.

Prince was sitting in his favorite spot with Gui and Nan Gong Zui, drinking and laughing. There were hoards of badly-hidden fangirls lurking around them with hearts in their eyes.

Nothing whatsoever about this scenario pleased Wicked. It was bad enough that Prince attracted fangirls wherever he went. Worse still that he actually had a drinking buddy, but at least Nan Gong Zui didn't seem to have that kind of inclination toward Prince. What Wicked really couldn't stand was the fact that Gui was there too. It wasn't fair. Wicked's biggest advantage in their rivalry over Prince was that he got to spend more time with him.

Wicked marched over to their table.

"Xiao Lan," he said in whisper chat. "How long are Yulian and Swan making you stay for the party?"

Prince smiled abashedly. "Well, I'm the main host and attraction here. I should stay until most of the people have gone home."

"Do you have your alarm set?"

"Yes, Mom." Prince laughed silently. "Don't worry, we're not going to be late. You know that Yang Ming and Min Bin are going to be waking up later than me. You're the only one that has to actually do any work tomorrow, Zhou-gege!" He gave his trademark snicker.

The Zhou siblings and the Feng siblings were supposed to be going to a movie they'd all been looking forward to the next day. Wicked had set up this arrangement because although he really, really wanted to check up on Xiao Lan after the party, he was at least trying to keep out of her business in real life. He knew that she was strong and did not appreciate anyone's feelings being pushed on her (Exhibit A: Gui). It was only in Second Life, when he had to deal with that irritating bard flittering around, that he stepped in so often.

"Hey, Wicked, what's up?" Nan Gong Zui asked. "Do you need something?"

"You were talking to Prince in private chat, weren't you?" Gui said with a taunting look. "It's obvious when you stomp right over here and have a staring contest with him. You should try to be more subtle when you talk behind people's backs."

"It's got nothing to do with you," Wicked said venomously. "I was just reminding him not to sleep too late because we're going somewhere tomorrow. You know, in real life."

As expected, Gui's face darkened, and he gave Wicked a look that said quite clearly that he wished he would go find the deepest hole in Second Life and jump in it. What wasn't expected was the message he sent along with the look.

"It's one thing to rub it in my face that you know Prince in real life," he sent furiously, "but I can't believe you'd endanger him like that by blurting out you're going to see him tomorrow. Have you forgotten they know who you are now, too?"

Wicked was struck speechless.

He felt horrified, because Gui was actually completely right. He'd already denied knowing Prince's identity in front of the cameras. If someone found out that was a lie, and knew an exact day he was going to see Prince, all they would have to do is follow him. How could he have thoughtlessly put Xiao Lan in danger that way, just for the sake of their stupid grudge?

He hadn't thought of that, and yet Gui spotted it right away. What was wrong with him?

"Do Prince and Wicked know each other in real life?" Nan Gong Zui asked curiously, looking back and forth among them.

"Yeah, we go pretty far back, actually, but we'd been out of touch for a long time before Second Life." Prince said cheerfully. Gui and Wicked both clapped their hands over his mouth at the same time.

"You'll just forget that little detail, won't you, Nan Gong Zui?" Gui said while Wicked hurriedly talked to Prince in a private chat. "After all, the whole world is looking for Prince. We'd like as little personal information about him to get out as possible."

"My lips are sealed," Nan Gong Zui said. "To me, all that matters is the Prince here and now. Everyone deserves their privacy." His eyes twinkled as he raised his cup to his lips. "Might want to be more careful in that case, though, what with the wild hoards around."

Wicked glared at the crowd of Infinite Band fangirls hovering nearby, which seemed to have only gotten bigger with three of the bands' members all in the same spot. They didn't seem to have reacted in any way, so perhaps they hadn't heard. He still couldn't believe he'd been that stupid, though.

Suddenly he heard the beeping in his head that meant the system was alerting him to wake up. It would give him five minutes to finish his business before it surrendered his consciousness back to the real world.

"I'm about to log off," he said. "I'll see you guys later. Be careful around all those fans." He smiled and added privately: "Xiao Lan, I'll call before I get to your place tomorrow. Don't come down to the bus stop beforehand, just in case someone is following me."

"Alright, Zhou-gege."

And Prince waved and said "See you later!" with a smile, but his eyes looked sad, and Wicked knew that he'd made him... her feel guilty again.

Zhou Ling Bin removed the game mask and opened his eyes.

It was just like Xiao Lan to feel bad about him possibly getting stalked in real life when he was the one that put her in danger of getting found out and stalked. He hated seeing those eyes full of guilt. It seemed like she looked at him like that every time he did something for her in real life. When would she figure out that he would wait as long as it took? Her pity was not what he wanted.

With a sigh, he got up to get ready for the day. As much as he'd deserve it for the stupid blunder he'd made, he really hoped that his day with Xiao Lan wouldn't be ruined. Even with both their little brothers in tow, every moment he got to spend with her was more precious to him than the sun.

Incidentally, it was a probably a good thing Wicked left when he did, because the rest of the evening would have been a major strain on his sanity.

Shortly after he left, Nan Gong Zui called over Kenshin (who was playing his usual role of underappreciated helper and, unbeknownst to the others, was largely the reason the fangirls hadn't been close enough to hear Wicked reveal he knew Prince in real life).

"Prince tells me you're the strongest in Infinite City now? You came back from the Eastern Continent, right?"

"Yes." Kenshin said.

"Yes to what? Are you the strongest or not? Anyway, I had an idea. Come sit down."

Kenshin looked at Prince, who nodded vigorously, and sat reluctantly beside Nan Gong Zui.

"Kenshin, the quickest way to get The Righteous Blades to accept anyone as the strongest is to defeat me in a drinking competition!" He slapped Kenshin on the back genially and slid him some rice wine.

"Can I refuse?" he asked pointedly.

"Aww, come on, Kenshin, you don't have to take work so seriously," Prince said. "You can have fun at this party, too!"

I wonder if it's possible to get an NPC drunk. Heehee, that sounds like fun! is what he was really thinking.

"If you say so." Kenshin sighed and accepted the drink.

An hour and a half later, it was becoming increasingly obvious that either it wasn't possible to get an NPC drunk, or Kenshin just had a bizarrely high tolerance. Nan Gong Zui and Prince (who of course couldn't resist joining in) were loudly singing love ballads and Kenshin's stiff poker face hadn't changed at all. Meanwhile, the fangirls started creeping in. They were practically draping themselves all over all four of the men, giggling and stealing drinks whenever possible. Everyone was generally being very loud, and Kenshin wondered whether it would be possible to slip away anytime soon.

Eventually Nan Gong Zui ended up passed out and snoring at the table. Kenshin wanted to sigh in relief.

"KENSHIN!" Prince roared, stomping on the table with one foot, causing several of the girls to cry out (in surprise or admiration?). "I WON'T LOSE TO YOU, YOU BASTARD! POUR US ANOTHER ONE!"

The crowd cheered and poured the two another round.

"Prince, maybe that's not a good idea," Gui pulled him back into his seat. "You've already had a lot, and besides…" he leaned to talk into his ear, "he's not human. Don't you think it's possible you can't win, even if you try?"

Gui was slightly nervous about the situation. He'd had a little bit to drink himself, but once the fangirls started seating themselves around them, he realized he needed to keep his wits about him and stopped. He'd already won a point over Wicked today; he didn't want to lose the upper hand by allowing a drunken Prince to get dragged off by rabid fangirls.

"BULLSHIT!" Prince said too loudly. "Look! His face has gotten red!"

Everyone looked. Kenshin's normally flawlessly pale face did have a slight flush to it.

"Kenshin, are you drunk?" Gui asked in amazement.

Kenshin thought about it for a moment.

"What does that mean?" he said finally.

"Ah… nevermind," Gui said.

"The first one down is out! Come on Kenshin." Prince sloppily poured Kenshin another drink, getting more on the table than in the cup.

"Whatever." Kenshin sighed again and took a sip.

"I still don't think–" Gui started, but then he noticed Nan Gong Zui was starting to disappear among a gaggle of fangirls. "Damn it! I can't keep all these drunks safe!"

Gui grumbled and cursed as he dived in to save Nan Gong Zui. He had no choice but to drag the unconscious warrior up to one of the rooms upstairs, which had a barrier cast over them to bar against unauthorized entry. Infinite Band had reserved all of them in the event of something like this.

He expected the drinking competition to still be going strong when he got back, but when he got down to their table, Kenshin was nowhere to be seen. Had he finally escaped? More importantly…

Gui's eyes bugged out. Prince was sitting on the restaurant bench with a girl on either side of him, looking like they knew less about the meaning of personal space than he did. His heart nearly stopped as one of them swooped in and kissed Prince on the lips, making small noises of satisfaction. She started fumbling to unbutton his shirt.

Gui screamed in pure rage and ran over, not caring who he hit as he flailed and shooed and pushed everybody away. He plucked the girl off his Prince and found an obliviously unconscious elf, face looking kind of silly in his drunken happiness.

Gui gathered Prince to his chest and glared around at everyone with a look that rivaled the Blood Elf himself. "I won't let anyone touch my Prince."

Instead of being intimidated, they all giggled more.

"You can have him," the one girl he'd pulled off Prince said coyly. "as long we get to watch when you touch him."

They all tittered and Gui could feel himself blushing to nuclear levels. Really, since when did young girls talk like that? He made a mental note to never, ever let the fangirls have alcohol ever again.

"No one is doing anything to Prince. Prince is going to bed right now," he said firmly. He picked Prince up and shouldered past everyone. He'd never felt awkward being close to Prince before, but their continued whispering and insinuations about going to bed were making him flustered.

"You can't follow!" he snarled back at them as he went up the stairs, not caring if everything he said made it worse. "We've got a barrier set at the top of the stairs and only people with permission can go through!"

"Stingy!" they yelled after him as he passed through the barrier and down the hall.

Gui sighed and went into one of the rooms. Frightening. He wasn't even sure if he could even see his own students as innocent anymore. They weren't any younger than the girls that had gone after Prince and Nan Gong Zui tonight. And… what had even happened to Kenshin? Ah… he can look after himself.

As Gui closed the door behind him, he unexpectedly got punched in the face.

"Your Highness!" he cried as he dropped the elf in surprise, more worried about that than the fact he'd been punched. "Are you okay?"

"What do you think you're doing, pervert?" Prince growled at him, standing back up unsteadily.

Gui was horrified. "Prince! No, it's not what you think! I had to get you away from those hungry wolves… I mean fangirls! You didn't see them. It was scary. And Kenshin disappeared. I think he figured he won so he left. Or… at least I hope that's what happened to him. Prince!" he clung to the hem of his shirt and got a boot in the chest for his trouble.

He looked up at Prince with watery eyes and was surprised when Prince burst out laughing and stepped off him, stumbling a little to one side when he lifted his foot.

"Why are you laughing?" Gui said in an injured voice.

"Your face looked so funny." Prince snorted into his hands as if he was trying to stifle himself.

"Ah…" Gui sighed and stood up. "Look, Prince, I think you should go to bed until it's time for you to wake up in real life. If you leave here you'll probably get in a fight and break something, and you know Yulian would not be happy about that. Besides, I don't want anything to happen to you." He added in a lower voice as he watched Prince sit in a chair and struggle with his boots. Prince let out a string of profanities at the uncooperative shoes.

Gui helped him pull off his boots. "There, that better?" he said brightly, smiling.

He fully expected to be punched in the face again, but instead, Prince just stared at him. He almost looked… upset? Why?

"What's the matter?" Gui said worriedly.

"Why do you look at me like that?" Prince said quietly. "Like I'm the most important thing in the world."

Gui smiled and said easily, "That's because you are the most important thing in the world to me, Your Highness."

Prince stood up, swaying, and immediately tripped over his boots. Gui caught and steadied him carefully.

"Don't try moving so fast," he said. "Lolidragon brought your stuff up here. Just get changed and go to bed. I'll check to make sure the barriers are still going strong and then I have to bed, too. You'll be awake in the real world before you know it."

Prince, holding onto Gui's arms for support, looked up at him confusedly. "You're not staying with me?"

Gui forced himself to look away from Prince's deep-red eyes. "I don't think that would be a good idea. I think you'd probably murder me later if I stayed in the same room with you."

"That's not true!" Prince said indignantly. "I wanted to stay with you guys on the tour, but I knew Wicked wouldn't like it. Then I was gonna stay with Kenshin and Sunshine since they aren't human, but then I remembered I couldn't exactly tell Wicked that, so…"

"You wanted to stay in our room?" This was so interesting that Gui couldn't help but look at him again.

"Yeah, I mean, how often do you get the chance to see two bishie's sleeping faces?"

Well, Wicked isn't here this time, so… Gui immediately quashed that thought.

"That's nice, but I really think it's better like this for now." Gui said, turning Prince around and pointing at the wardrobe. "Your stuff is there. Send me a PM if you need me."

As Gui turned to the door, he cursed his luck over and over. Of course he wanted to stay. He'd give almost anything to be able to stay. But it wasn't worth losing Prince's trust. He wanted a real relationship with him. He didn't deserve Prince if the only time he wanted Gui around was while completely smashed like this.

Gui heard a curse behind him and turned around by instinct, and his eyes nearly popped out again.

Prince had tried to pull off his button-up shirt over his head, and now it was stuck around his pointed ears. He wiggled around before it finally came off, leaving his hair looking wild.

"P-P-Prince," Gui said in a strangled voice. "You should wait until I leave before you start doing that…"

Prince tossed his shirt in the corner and looked at him over his shoulder vaguely. The dim light from the lantern outside on the street just highlighted the contours of his back, his shoulder blades moving smoothly under his skin as he raised a hand to smooth his hair.

"Don't, I like it like that," Gui breathed before he could stop himself.

Prince stopped and turned around to him. He started walking closer and Gui took a step back. His back hit the door and he couldn't go any further. Prince was looking at him way too intensely. His hair was as wild as his look.

"After everything, and all I have to do to scare you this much is look at you?" Prince smiled and stepped a little closer. "Maybe I'll try this instead of punching from now on."

"Punching I can deal with," Gui said in a trembling voice, his heart beating fast. "This… this just isn't fair."

Prince reached out and put his hands on Gui's chest. He stepped in and wrapped his arms around him.

"Unbelievable," he said. "You're shaking. You're literally shaking."

And of course his warm, lightly amused voice made a shiver pass over him all over again.

"And you look like you're in pain," Prince was inches from his face. "Are you being torn right now?"

"W-what are you–"

But before another thought could spark itself off in his brain, Prince kissed him and erased his thoughts, maybe every thought he'd ever had. It was wild and rough and sweet, everything he'd come to associate with the Blood Elf Prince. Gui put his arms around Prince and crushed him against himself. Prince grabbed handfuls of Gui's hair and pushed back, flattening him against the door. He felt completely dizzy. He wondered if maybe he really had had too much after all, because this had to be a dream.

Prince made an indignant, almost pained noise against his lips, almost as if he were as frustrated with Gui as Gui was with him. It was nearly a growl.

"Why are you so kind and goddamn attractive? God must really hate me," he said, face buried against Gui's neck with his hands still tangled in his hair. There was a real note of anguish in his voice.

"Prince," Gui said hesitantly. "What's the matter?" He'd never heard him sound like that before. And then there was the part about him being attractive…

Prince didn't answer, he just stood there, pinning Gui so that he couldn't move. Not that he wanted to. But Prince's breathing in his ear was making him a little lightheaded.

"Prince, I'm here," Gui said softly, wrapping his arms around him protectively. "If you want me, I am yours. It's too late for me. There's nothing else I can be except yours. Your friend, your lover, or your punching bag…" he cracked a smile, "no matter what else I may be, I'll always be yours first."

Prince unclenched his hands from Gui's hair and let them fall limply to his sides. He took a couple of steps back.

"Prince…?" Gui whispered. He started to panic slightly when Prince failed to answer again. He stepped up to meet him and wanted to grasp his shoulders, but thought better of it. "I-I'm sorry… I shouldn't have let all that… I just got… c-caught up…"

"You idiot,"

"What?" Gui blinked.

"How can you love someone you don't know anything about?" Prince looked up. His eyes were smoldering, and despite the seriousness of the situation, it made Gui's knees feel weak. He leaned in, the better to drink in Prince's scent.

"Tell me, then," he said, gently brushing Prince's hair out of his face. "Tell me all about you. Tell me your life's story if you want. Tell me everything. Or nothing. I told you before that I'll accept whatever you're comfortable with."

This close, Prince's eyes seemed so all-encompassing. They looked liquid in the low light, with the unfathomable thoughts behind them.

"I would very much like to kiss you again," Gui admitted. "But I'm having a moral quandary here, picking on someone so inebriated."

"As if a bard like you could take advantage of me," Prince said. "Who was it that was trembling a little while ago? I could take you on, even like this."

His eyes drifted down to Gui's lips and that was all it took. Gui closed the distance between them, a thrill ringing through his heart at having made the move first this time. That same swirling, wild, fringe-of-consciousness feeling came over him again, and again he compulsively held onto Prince tightly. Prince, however, seemed to be determined to prove his point. He grabbed Gui by the front of his shirt and took two large steps backward and turned them around, still locked together, pulling Gui around as if he weighed nothing. Gui felt gravity reverse itself suddenly and found himself pinned down on the bed.

"See?" Prince grinned.

Gui was rendered completely speechless for a moment. Anything he might have said seemed to implode before it could even be formed. All he knew was Prince's mischievous smile, messy white hair framing his face, the smooth lines of his bare shoulders, finely toned arms holding him down onto the bed. All of this was his entire universe. There really was no need for anything else.

"Wh…wh…wh…." Nope, no coherent words yet.

"I knew it, you can't do anything against me," Prince said with a laugh in his voice. "Your 'foolish' face is the funniest thing ever."

He leaned down and kissed Gui differently, slowly and more tenderly than before. Gui let out a longing moan and clutched at Prince's back. That kiss was hotter and longer than any he'd ever had before, and it was really proving to be a problem for his rational side.

Prince was searching for the hem of his shirt. He traced kisses down Gui's jaw and neck while doing so, and when he pulled it up part of the way, tugging as if to prompt Gui to remove it, Gui's breath hitched and he tried to bring himself back to his senses, with great difficulty.

"Prince," he said, breathing very fast. "I-I… this isn't right. I understand what you said before, and there is a great difference between our strengths, but that isn't all there is. You're not thinking clearly right now. Don't do something that you'll regret later."

"But I like seeing your reactions," Prince giggled.

"Listen to me," Gui held the sides of his face firmly to look in his eyes. "I know you. Whatever you may feel for me, you still need some time to work it out. How can I live with myself if I let you get into something you weren't completely sure about?"

Prince laid his head on Gui's chest and curled up beside him. "You always make things so difficult, Guiliastes."

"I make things difficult?" Gui laughed softly.

"Hmf," Prince said vaguely with his eyes closed.

Gui studied Prince's face more intently than he had any book. He needed to memorize this moment, to put in the treasure box of his most precious memories. If Prince chose not to forgive him for what had happened tonight, it could very well be the only chance to have a memory like this with him. The thought alone made Gui's heart hurt.