#and binghe almost not being able to handle that.

[fandomseverywhereassemble]

Svsss AU where Shen Yuan transmigrates into the fake jade pendant. He’s confused at first. Obviously. What is this?! He manages to transmigrate, and he doesn’t get to be anyone cool. He’s a fucking necklace instead. Hanging around Luo Binghe’s neck. There could be worse things though, he supposes. If he could transmigrate into an inanimate object, better the protagonist’s prized possession than a nondescript rock somewhere in the forest, right?

Shen Yuan quickly realizes that constantly being attached to the protagonist in a novel where the first half of it had been accused of being ‘torture porn’ and the second half of it was… porn. He would see everything that happened to Luo Binghe in first person, and it… sucks.

Shen Yuan watches as Shen Qingqiu beats Luo Binghe bloody and locks him in the woodshed. He watches as Ming Fan attacks and taunts him. He watches Ning Yingying offer the little comfort that she can to Luo Binghe, but it’s not enough. She can only offer honeyed words and clean cloth. It’s not what he needs, and Shen Yuan tells him this, not that Luo Binghe can hear him. But over time, as Luo Binghe holds the necklace that his mother got him close to his heart, clutched in his (bloody, numb, trembling, bruised, broken) fingers, Shen Yuan starts to feel again. He feels Luo Binghe’s pain and tries to take it from him, for him. It never really works, but he likes to think that he takes some of the sharpness from his pain. Maybe he dulls it, just a little. He hopes he does.

Shen Yuan makes his peace with it. Peeking through Binghe’s robes, he rolls his fictitious eyes at people, yells curses at those that would dare lay their hands on someone as pure and good as Luo Binghe. Didn’t they know of his nascent power, lying just below the surface, waiting to be unlocked? Obviously not, but it still hurt to watch them all dig their own graves right in front of his eyes.

Then, one day, he’s reminded of a fact quite forcefully. It was his own oversights, everything considered, he knew the plot of PIDW like the back of his hand. The plot point that Airplane had abandoned.

Luo Binghe loses his fake jade pendant.

It happens just as it does in SVSSS. Albeit with a few more kicks and punches and blood spilled. And Ming Fan throws Shen Yuan high in the air, where his cord catches on an errant branch, and there he stays, helpless as he watches Luo Binghe curl around himself to protect his vital organs. Shen Yuan can’t do anything other than swing from side to side, and that’s probably just the inertia rather than his vitriol.

They eventually leave Luo Binghe, and Shen Yuan watches as the protagonist searches for the amulet everywhere. Everywhere but up. Everywhere but WHERE Shen Yuan is, and fear shoots through him. He could be abandoned right here. Would life as an inconspicuous rock be any different from now on? Maybe it would have been better because he would have had no way of knowing where he was or what story he was in. He begs Binghe to just look up. Please look up. He knows it’s futile. Binghe never found the Guanyin in PIDW. He still screams, tells him where to look until…

Luo Binghe looks up.

He lights up, and spends the next two hours dragging his bruised and bloodied body up to Shen Yuan. And when he finally grabs it, Shen Yuan feels so much better, and Luo Binghe does too. Did his pendant tell him where to find it? Impossible.

The next time Binghe is injured though, the voice he heard gets louder, and it isn’t just… Binghe’s internal voice telling him what to do. It’s got its own consciousness. Something he figures out as soon as he tries talking to it in the quiet of the frozen woodshed and it immediately responds.

The two get really close really fast. SY tells Binghe that those extras don’t know anything. That Binghe is better than all of them, especially that lecherous Shen Qingqiu. Binghe tells him that he’s sure it’s all just part of his training. SY tells him that they’re abusing him, and Binghe sadly shakes his head.

The story progresses as usual, Binghe suffers a little less because now he has his secret Shen Yuan. Shen Yuan comforts him as best as he can until… the Abyss.

Because something happens in the Abyss and Luo Binghe dies.

It wasn’t supposed to be possible, he was the protagonist, but Shen Yuan can feel Luo Binghe’s life slipping away. He can feel pieces of his soul fragmenting and dissipating, so he does the only sensible thing: he catches the fragments as best as he can, puts them back together, and pushes them back into Binghe’s body.

He doesn’t allow him to die.

It isn’t perfect though, and some of Binghe is in the pendant with him, and some of Shen Yuan is with Binghe. Souls intertwined.

There’s a few more close calls in the Abyss, and each time, Shen Yuan gets slightly better at putting Luo Binghe back together again. They still spill into each other, though nothing is ever perfect. Luo Binghe might even be a little… reckless with his life. He knows SY is there to put him back together, and when they’re with each other… pieces of him blowing in the wind, tethered to each other by SY’s tenacity. He felt… comforted. Warm. He felt safe, even in the danger of the abyss.

When they emerge, Binghe’s seal broken, but not blackened, they own pieces of each other. Binghe has some knowledge of the modern world, and some anger toward this guy named ‘Airplane’ (what kind of a name was that, anyway?)

One time, Luo Binghe loses Shen Yuan. Some villain snatches the necklace from around his neck and Binghe feels incomplete. Like there are physical pieces missing, even though he’s unharmed. He thinks back, and his memories are… fuzzy. There are things that he knows happened to him. But it’s more like facts that he knows rather than memories. He knows that the woodshed was cold, but he can’t remember how his hands shook and his fingertips went numb as a result. He knows that Shen Qingqiu beat him, but he doesn’t remember how the bruises felt the next week.

The worst part is that he doesn’t remember the comfort Shen Yuan provided during those times. He knows it happened, but the memories are hazy. Incomplete. Like viewing something blurry in black and white from 20 meters away.

It turns out that Shen Yuan took some… liberties when he put Binghe’s life back together. He took away those painful memories, keeping Luo Binghe’s pain and inadvertently the comfort Shen Yuan gave him as well. When they’re close, it doesn’t matter. Their memories flood each other’s minds. Their souls dance and flow within each other. But separated… Binghe doesn’t have those memories anymore. They’re gone. Along with the pain that accompanied them.

I got a lot of this idea from a book series called The Liveship Traders by Robin Hobb and there are some details I thought about but didn’t include: Binghe and Shen Yuan being so intwined that they physically cannot die without each other (Binghe crawling toward the discarded pendant just for Closure, SY begging him to stay back bc he doesn’t want him to die); and the reason SY’s consciousness gets louder is because more of Binghe’s blood is soaking into the fake jade pendant.

[delicioussshame]

You know what decided it wanted to exist? Some more Crime AU AU. Part 7

Yue Qingyuan knows.

Luo Binghe supposes it isn’t surprising. He suspects that just like Shen Yuan, Shen Jiu doesn’t realise that all their precautions don’t actually manage to keep much from their right-hand men. Luo Binghe was allowed access to pretty much whatever he wanted when he was younger, and he can’t imagine Yue Qingyuan, who has been by Shen Jiu’s side almost from birth, isn’t granted at least as much leniency. Luo Binghe can’t remember how many times he was sent away on one errand or another because Shen Jiu wanted to see Shen Yuan. He hadn’t thought much of it at first, because their hatred was reciprocal, but as time passed, he noticed marks Shen Yuan hadn’t been sporting before those visits. He had tried to ignore them, but, as someone allowed to wander in Shen Yuan’s bedroom whenever he wanted, he could only blind himself to the evidence for so long. Though he was tempted, he didn’t dare, nor did he need to, hide a camera in Shen Yuan’s quarters to prove it. He knew.

As much as he hated the idea of Shen Jiu forcing himself on Shen Yuan, because surely this wasn’t something his shizun wanted, it hadn’t been a priority at the time. Luo Binghe was in no position to take Shen Jiu out, and as much as it pained him to admit it, Shen Yuan had some level of attachment to his sibling, not to mention that handling the whole family by himself would be too much of a burden on Shen Yuan. When Luo Binghe was older, maybe…

Then Luo Binghe’s fate changed, and here they are. He now is an equal to Shen Yuan, able to offer him status and help in a way he could have never imagined as a child. He could, in theory, eliminate Shen Jiu without hurting Shen Yuan’s position.

But no matter how clever he was, Shen Yuan would know he was behind it. Luo Binghe can’t risk losing him for Shen Jiu of all people. So he has to live with it, with him, for now.

At least he has Shen Yuan, unlike Yue Qingyuan.

He understands only too well Yue Qingyuan’s feelings. His whole world might turn around Shen Jiu, but he will never be able to call him his. Like Luo Binghe as a child, he has neither the status nor the power necessary to claim one of the brothers as his spouse. Loyalty would not get him that much.

That doesn’t mean Luo Binghe feels guilty for being one of those who have had Shen Jiu. Shen Yuan is the one who put his brother on the table. Who is he to refuse his beloved? Plus, he has to admit that there is a part of him that thrilled at putting Shen Jiu in his place in that way, the man’s overbearing airs destroyed as he twisted under his him, eyes wet and nails digging in Luo Binghe’s back. Shen Jiu can deny it all he wants, but he now knows intimately that he’ll never be able to give Shen Yuan what Luo Binghe gives him.

He can’t say he wouldn’t prefer to have Shen Yuan all to himself, but if he has to share, being able to witness the incomparable spectacle that the two of them make is quite the improvement. Shen Yuan is always stunning, but entwined with someone who is his mirror image… the memory still takes his breath away.

Of course Yue Qingyuan is jealous. How could he not be? Luo Binghe can’t blame him for his increased presence around him, for the very occasional glare he couldn’t manage to hide. He would certainly be seriously planning Yue Qingyuan’s death in his place. The fallout would be much less dramatic than if his master was killed instead.

He’s almost certain Yue Qingyuan isn’t willing to go this far. Killing him would mean war with Luo Binghe’s now rebuild family. Even if Shen Jiu wants to blind himself to this fact, Yue Qingyuan is too cautious not to realise the chaos this would cause.

It’s a shame, really. Luo Binghe has nothing against Yue Qingyuan, beside the fact that he has terrible tastes. But if he steps a foot out of line, well, taking him out would drive Shen Jiu mad.

Wouldn’t that be fun?

[othercat2]

molasses dark as pitch chapter 6 snippet

Shang Qinghua has almost gotten used to his king or Sha Hualing ambushing him with food or demands that he rest or take care of his appearance. Almost. He's been chivvied into taking care of himself and moving into the quarters provided him, at least. Their fussing and concern surprises him a little. It feels strange to think that he'd worried his king or the Saintess, and stranger to think that they might value him so highly that they'd go out of their way to coddle him the way they'd been doing.

He's more or less become used to the way that his king and now more recently Sha Hualing make appearances throughout the day. His king has often been a quiet, looming presence in the background when Shang Qinghua works for years. Mobei-Jun was an unreadable presence and he had wasted a great deal of time at first trying to placate his master before realizing that his king was simply bored or curious, not angry or suspicious. Sha Hualing was easier to to read: she played at being a brat while satisfying her curiosity with detailed interrogations.

(He had no idea why she played the brat. It wasn't as if he hadn't seen her in battle or in the command tent building a strategy from information he'd provided. It wasn't because she was trying to seem unthreatening. She really wasn't fooling anyone at all.)

Thinking about her summons the sound of bells, and her eventual presence as she enters Shang Qinghua's work area. "Shang-shishu has a worried look," she says. "What's on his mind?"

"He's wondering how he became shishu to a Saintess," he says.

"This Saintess is surprised Shang Qinghua can't guess," Sha Hualing says with a sharp little grin. "How is Shen Qingqiu settling in?" she asks.

"He hasn't tried to kill anyone, and by anyone, I mean myself," Shang Qinghua says. He's not going to speculate on what Sha Hualing had meant about being able to guess. Maybe she was calling him "shishu" because Junshang had taken to calling him that. "I am right across the hall from him, so it's a matter of time."

"Is that really a danger?" Sha Hualing asks.

"Eh, not really. Shen-shixiong isn't in a comfortable position, and he usually handles not being comfortable by making everyone else even more uncomfortable," Shang Qinghua says. "I've ah, tried to approach him as a 'middle leaf' and I think I'm getting through to him."

If a shouting fight that had brought the guards running and his king turning up to investigate could be called "getting through to him." Shen Qingqiu had not liked the idea of having any form of relationship with Luo Binghe, even a relationship where the point was not having a relationship. Shang Qinghua had heard from the head of household that there was a joke that Shang Qinghua needed a middle leaf to be a middle leaf with Shen Qingqiu.

"You need to show Husband some attention as well, or he'll think you favor Shen Qingqiu over you!" Sha Hualing says.

Shang Qinghua's brain stutters a bit. "I could not be so forward as to 'give attention' to Junshang," says. "What would I even do?"

Sha Hualing rolls her eyes. "You're worse than da-ge," she says. "Mei-mei, what do I say to him? What would be an appropriate pale date?"

"My king does not call you mei-mei," Shang Qinghua says, with a smile he couldn't help. Another thing he had heard was that his king was apparently courting Junshang pale, which seemed a little strange to him. Junshang had defeated Mobei-jun in battle and subjugated him. It seemed like there would be resentment and a desire for rivalry there, but apparently not? They'd become friends instead, and somehow Mobei-jun found Luo Binghe (who was utterly terrifying) "pitiable." There were already some very exaggerated accounts of how his king had helped quell Luo Binghe's rampage, some of them in verse. Most of them brought up highly original metaphors involving snow, ice or winter.

"He absolutely should," Sha Hualing says. "And Husband should call me jie-jie."

Shang Qinghua choked a little at that. Luo Binghe was younger than both Sha Hualing and his king, but the implication here, that Luo Binghe would be called "didi" was horrifying. Terrifying heavenly demon emperors were not didi! He managed to say as much to Sha Hualing, who snickered at him. "This servant hardly knows what to do about the Saintess' suggestions," he says, attempting to model the familiar respect offered by Mobei-jun's head of household. The woman had a strange authority that could turn the most arrogant or aggressive demon noble or warrior into a cowed and foot-shuffling youth.

"Follow them, of course," Sha Hualing says, failing to be cowed. "It's a little early for him to come seeking you out, especially with Shen Qingqiu living just next door, so you have to go to him. You could watch him spar with the soldiers or his wives, or offer to play weiqi with him. You could tutor him in some subject you're knowledgeable in!" She pokes him. "You could tutor me!"

Shang Qinghua flails a little, trying to swipe away Sha Hualing's pointy claw without actually coming into contact with said claw or the finger and hand it was attached to. He wondered what about tutoring Sha Hualing could be considered ashen for Junshang or Shen-shixiong. "Surely this servant has no skill a demon lord would be interested in," Shang Qinghua says. Despite the protest he feels strangely pleased that Sha Hualing seemed to think his areas of expertise were worthy of learning.

"Ha," Sha Hualing says, looking pleased herself. "Stop being so scared of Husband," she says, like this were even a remote possibility. "And speaking of Junshang, we've a mission. And before that, we have to settle an issue with the harem."

"A mission?" Shang Qinghua asks.

"We're going to deliver everything we know about Huan Hua's actions to the major sects," Sha Hualing says. "Including a list of the cultivators who left or weren't present when Husband cleaned house. Last on the list is Cang Qiong Mountain, where we're going to hopefully interview the Sect Leader and found out what his connections are to Shen Qingqiu, and more information for Shen Qingqiu's case."

"That's still going on?" Shang Qinghua asks, a little nervously.

"It didn't stop going on," Sha Hualing says with a slight smirk. "We thought we knew one thing, and based on what we knew, Junshang was willing to act. Now we know that what we knew was obfuscated, and we have some time to poke at this fascinating borderland between human and demon law." She has the look of a hunting cat as she says this. Bright eyed and fascinated, as if the matter were a mouse to catch. It's a charming look, Shang Qinghua has had students with similar looks for narrow areas of interests--various organization disciplines, classification systems, abstract mathematical concepts (those kids could be the worst).

[ryukoishida]

LiuShen Week 2019 | Day 4 | In which they share kisses in different situations.

Written for LiuShen Week 2019  @liushenweek

Day 4: Loved (Free Day)

Title: And the Reason is You Fandom: Scum Villain’s Self-Saving System Characters/Ships: LiuShen Rating: Slightly NSFW Summary: Three times Shen Qingqiu kissed Liu Qingge, and that one time Liu Qingge initiated the kiss. A/N: Holy shit. Am I writing again? I know, I’m shocked at myself too.

-

i.

“Liu-shidi, I—”

There was a hint of strain in his usually calm, assured tone, as if he was using his last ounce of strength to hold himself back from reaching out to the man sitting so close to him.

His shivering fingers lightly wrapped around the back of the other man’s neck, and he pulled his head down, their breaths mingling for just a brief moment, hearts thundering and drowning out everything else.

Even when he was slightly under the influence of the venom, Shen Qingqiu still somehow managed to kiss him with such careful precision and control. The mesmerizing taste of his osmanthus-scented breath — a clear sign of him being poisoned — was overwhelmingly saccharine when he touched his lips gently against Liu Qingge’s, who could only widen his eyes at the unexpected turn of events.

Two hours ago, they had dragged their exhausted bodies back to the inn after exterminating a group of high-level flower demonesses who had enchanted and kidnapped the town’s young men in order to suck their vitality in aid of their cultivation.

It wasn’t a particularly difficult encounter they had in terms of an extermination mission, but the leader of those demonesses had been cunning, enough that Shen Qingqiu – who, at least according to a scoffing Liu Qingge, had been too easy on them as the lord of Qing Jing Peak had initially planned to extract the kidnapped victims in a more polished means without causing too much of a mess – had fallen into the demoness’s trap.

Neither of them was seriously injured in the end, but Shen Qingqiu inhaled some of the dangerous sweet pollen, which as he soon found out to be a very potent aphrodisiac, and no long cold soak in the bathtub was able to completely erase the devastating effects of such venom. Tendrils of tantalizing heat and sparks of prickling sensation snaked up from within the depth of his body and spread to the surface of his skin, making him slightly flushed and breathless, almost as if he had a fever.

Shen Qingqiu had been absolutely vigilant of any physical contact since they came back, but it was all over the moment Liu Qingge’s fingers brushed against the back of his hand — swelteringly warm and over-sensitive – when he was handing him a cup of warm tea in an attempt to sooth the twitching, pulsing desire within him.

It took Liu Qingge much longer than he was willing to admit to react to the kiss, for the initially chaste touch of their lips quickly turned into something much more intense, something that threatened to rip Liu Qingge’s breath and last strand of logic away.

Then the acute, unnaturally sweet floral taste of Shen Qingqiu’s tongue shattered the illusion when he tried to deepened the kiss, and Liu Qingge quickly staggered back, shoving away the slightly shorter man, who was putting up quite a fight for someone who was supposedly poisoned and weakened.

“Shen. Qing. Qiu.”

With each syllable of the man’s name, Liu Qingge’s voice dripped with icy impassivity and quiet fury: a warning, or a subtle sign of fear.

“Damn it, Shen Qingqiu! Wake up!”

Shen Qingqiu’s eyes were clouded with raw lust stirred up by an artificial source, but the kiss had been real, the little noise of discontent rolling from the back of his throat when Liu Qingge pushed him back had been real, the desperate grasp of his sleeves when he attempted to come closer once more, and the eager way with which Shen Qingqiu called for him had also been real.

But…

You are not yourself, Liu Qingge thought.

He wondered why his heart was hurting so much when he finally lost the will to fight and simply allowed Shen Qingqiu to embrace him as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

And I am not the one you truly want.

-

ii.

“Liu-shidi, stay exactly where you are and don’t move!”

As soon as the Sha Lu Er flopped lifelessly onto the ground with a thundering thud, its gaping jaws twitching a few seconds more as human blood dripped from its yellowing fangs before it laid completely still, Shen Qingqiu returned Xiu Ya sword back into its sheath and ran towards his companion, his furrowing brows and hastened pace the only signs of his unease.

“Are you all right? Dear god, your arm…”

“I am fine,” Liu Qingge would roll his eyes at his shixiong’s melodramatic antics were he the type to do so; instead, he just acted how he usually would – avoided eye contact at all costs and pretending everything was fine, like the flesh and bones of his left arm weren’t crushed into a bloody, mangled mass by that damn fifteen-feet-long shark-deer monster that had been wreaking havoc and endangering the villagers in nearby towns. “Shen-shixiong has no need to be overly concerned for me.”

A pause, and then something hard hit the back of his head.

Liu Qingge uttered a pained groan and glared at the other man through the messy fringes of his forelocks, his iron-grey irises blazing in irritation despite his pale complexion due to blood loss from his injury.

Shen Qingqiu’s grasp on the handle of his fan tightened until his knuckles turned white, his lips pressed into a firm line as he maintained their eye contact.

“What the hell was that for?”

“What do you mean — that I don’t need to be concerned for you?! Liu Qingge, I thought we’ve gone over this already! What you did just now, throwing yourself so carelessly into the fight, I—” Shen Qingqiu exhaled harshly, turning his head away as uncomfortable warmth crept up from his neck to his cheeks when Liu Qingge continued to stare at him with a hint of curiosity laced within the initial frustration. “That was for making me worried sick!”

Liu Qingge blinked once, twice, finally comprehending what Shen Qingqiu was insinuating, and he stumbled the two steps forward to close the distance between them, leaving a trail of blood behind him.

“Shen Qingqiu…” he murmured, eyes lowered in a silent apology.

Shen Qingqiu lifted his arm and gently gathered a strand of Liu Qingge’s ink-black hair in between his blood-stained fingertips.  He kissed his locks with a warm, tender light in his eyes that Liu Qingge had never seen before.

He didn’t dare imagine; he didn’t dare hope; he didn’t want to be disappointed.

“I cannot bear the thought of losing you, so please, Qingge, I beg you, don’t put me through that again.”

-

iii.

Shen Qingqiu kissed the back of the other man’s hand reverently, lips lingering on the skin marred with battle scars and tongue gliding over callouses hardened by swordsmanship training over the years. He traced his lips over the elegant structure of his fingers until he reached the tip of Liu Qingge’s middle finger, which he then took into the wet cavern of his mouth in its entirety, until the fingertip grazed the back of his throat, and he swallowed hungrily around it.

It was shameful: the wet sounds of Shen Qingqiu sucking on his skin like he couldn’t get enough of his taste reverberating in his ears, those mesmerizing red, swollen lips wrapping around his fingers, the trembling eyelashes surrounding the darkened irises that looked like Shen Qingqiu wanted nothing more than to consume him whole.

It was shameful, and Liu Qingge wanted to turn away from this unbecoming sight, but he couldn’t stop noticing how Shen Qingqiu’s chest was rising and falling deeply with each breath, or how his long hair, freed from the length of his hair tie, flowed like rivers of ink over the pale canvas of his shoulders.    

“Mnn… Shen Qingqiu, stop playing around and get to it…” he’d meant to sound menacing, but the breathless way with which he uttered the threat betrayed the swelling desire barely contained within his shivering body.

At long last, as if finally satisfied by the teasing he’d instigated against his beloved shidi, Shen Qingqiu pulled his head away with a knowing smirk, a thin string of saliva still connected from his lower lip to the tip Liu Qingge’s finger.

On the battlefield, Liu Qingge incited fear in his enemies and admiration in his allies simply by his presence and the powerful arcs and sweeps of his Cheng Luan sword; in the privacy of their shared bed while lying underneath Shen Qingqiu, Liu Qingge somehow lost the prideful and confident air that made him one of the strongest combatants in the cultivation realm. Instead, he would relinquish all his control to Shen Qingqiu, who would then patiently guide him between the valleys and peaks of pleasure through agonizingly gentle touches and ferocious, carnal ecstasy.  

“Qingge, is this how you ask your shixiong for something? Where are your manners, hmm?”

Shen Qingqiu had a light grip of Liu Qingge’s chin so that the other man couldn’t turn away as Shen Qingqiu had suspected he would.  

With bloodshot eyes and lips that’d been bitten raw, Liu Qingge muttered a fairly impressive, “fuck you.”

“I thought that was the plan, was it not?” Shen Qingqiu laughed, amused by Liu Qingge’s lackluster insult as he placed a soft kiss on the other man’s forehead. “Or are you having second thoughts?”

“Never.”

-

+i.

Shen Qingqiu was not good at cooking. He wasn’t awful at it per se, as he had the skills of making instant noodles with various toppings back in the good, old days without burning down his tiny apartment, but he’d choose to go exterminate a bunch of evil demonic beings over doing this any day.

But for his cultivating partner — the light and love of his life, his newly-wedded husband — he would cook him a proper meal even if it killed him.

Perhaps he was being a little over-dramatic in this matter.

Shen Qingqiu chopped the tofu half-heartedly, trying to recall the specific way Luo Binghe had taught him, but all his effort only resulted in uneven chunks of the silky white curds, one-fourth of the portion he was certain he’d turned into useless mush that couldn’t be pan-fried in the wok.

On second thoughts, maybe he should have taken actual notes when Luo Binghe had been teaching him how to make a few homely dishes just a few days ago.  

He was about to get another cube of tofu sitting in the wooden tub of cold water when Liu Qingge’s voice could be heard from the kitchen’s entryway.

“Shen Qingqiu, there you are,” the lord of Bai Zhan Peak had a slight, confused frown to his brows when he stepped into the kitchen and gradually made his way towards his partner. “I have been looking all over for you… what in the world are you doing?”

He raised one of his brows in puzzlement. “What is this? Are you… are you making dinner?”

“Trying,” Shen Qingqiu emphasized the keyword in this matter. “And failing miserably, as you can see.”

He stepped away from the counter to let Liu Qingge observe his progress — or lack thereof, rather.

Shen Qingqiu sighed, placing the knife down on the cutting board.

“Binghe spent almost four hours the other day teaching me how to make this dish, too. Now I feel terrible for wasting his time. It seems that I have learned nothing from our culinary lessons.”

Liu Qingge’s eyes flashed dangerously at the mention of Luo Binghe.

“Wait, you were with that brat? On your own? When was that? How many times have I told you to stay away—”

“Oh, calm down,” Shen Qingqiu chuckled, swiftly going over to his partner and wrapping his arms around the taller man’s shoulder, pulling him closer as he continued, “he’s just a mere child, Qingge. Why must you two always act so childish and hostile to each other every time you meet? It’s understandable for him to act this way since he’s still a teenager, but Liu Qingge, you are the renowned, respectable Bai Zhan Peak Lord. You don’t have to stoop down to a child’s level like that. I know you are better than that.”

“Hmph. I do not understand why you are so protective of that brat, but he is your disciple after all. Just… promise me to be careful of his intentions when you are around him by yourself.”

“Duly noted,” Shen Qingqiu noticed the genuine worry in his partner’s eyes, and he nodded solemnly in response. With the ill-chosen topic out of the way, Shen Qingqiu once again glanced over at the atrocity he’d created in the short span of twenty minutes of meal preparation. “Now then, I suppose I should clean up this mess and let the kitchen staff reclaim their space.”

“Wait,” Liu Qingge placed a hand over Shen Qingqiu’s as the Qing Jing Peak Lord was about to reach for the knife.

“Hmm?” Shen Qingqiu turned to look at his partner, his head tilted to the side slightly in question. “Qingge, what is it?”

“I…” Liu Qingge bit his lower lip as he struggled to put his thought into words, his cheeks gradually turning pink. “I would like to try your cooking, i-if you do not mind, that is.”

Almost as an afterthought, Liu Qingge lowered his head and pressed a firm but gentle kiss against Shen Qingqiu’s lips before he stood up straight once more, the tips of his ears burning such a bright red that it was impossible for either man to ignore.  

“Um,” Shen Qingqiu lost the ability to process for a good five seconds before he said with a bright smile that made his entire being glow with pure happiness, “sure.”

[joyfulpoet]

Handsome Brothers’ Daycare

Modern AU crossover where Lan Wangji collects all his queer brothers to help him run a daycare.

Part 1 | Part 2

~~~~ part 3

The man seated across from him at the cafe did look rather, unwell. He was so pale his skin was almost translucent; face thin, with dark smudges under the eyes. It was concerning. But Yue Qingyuan had insisted that his friend Shen Yuan was interested in the job and that his doctors had given the ok for him work again, as long as it wasn’t overly stressful.

Of the business tycoons that Lan WangJi had met before leaving the business world behind, Yue Qingyuan was a rare breed. He was more for quality over quantity; valuing getting the job done right even if it took an extra year to do it. This had at first earned him a lot of criticism from others, but as every job he handled went off without a hitch and none of them turned sour later. Many of those critics learned it was better to swallow their tongues then to bad mouth him. To say the least Lan WangJi had respect for the man.

But the fact that the job he needed to fill did require the person to be able to work with a bunch of rambunctious children left him a bit concerned. Lan WangJi looked back down at the resume. Shen Yuan did have experience from before his illness had surfaced and had work with young children before. So he would know what would be the best subjects to focus on.

“I know what you’re thinking,” Shen Yuan interrupted Lan WangJi’s thoughts. His voice was strong at least, nothing in it hinted at the possibility of the owner being ill. “I look like shit.”

He hadn’t planned to say anything to that extent to the man’s face. Lan Wangji merely nod at him to continue.

“I had hoped to wait a week before meeting with you, but Yue was very insistent that I meet with you as soon as possible. My doctor a few months back convinced me to try out a new treatment that should help keep me in better health in the long term. It’s just that I look like hell for a week right afterwards.”

Lan WangJi nodded in understanding before asking “Do these treatments happen frequently?”

Shen Yuan waved his hand as if he could shoo away the concern. “No no, only once every three to four months. I’ll only need a week to rest afterwards.”

This just made Lan WangJi more concerned. Yue Qingyuan did say his friend had a bad tendency to downplay his illness, believing himself a burden.

“Is there a reason you don’t want to go back to teaching high school again? You must miss it.”

The man across from him studied the top of their table where he’d been folding one of the napkins up like a fan. “The school I had work for had been a public one. Most of the kids were poor. A lot of them by the time they got to me were on their way to being delinquents. In their minds no one cared about them, so why should they? As their Shizun I did my best to let them know I cared, but . . .” A deep sadness etched his face. “I’ve always wondered if I’d met them sooner if things could be different.”

“Most of the looking after will be done by Brother Xie and I. You needing more time after treatments will not be a problem.”

Shen Yuan blinked a bit looking up. “Oh.” Tentatively he asked, “Does that mean you’re hiring me?”

Lan WangJi nodded, shuffling papers back into their folder. “I trust Yue Qingyuan judgement, and I want people who care.”

****

Lan WangJi was just starting to prepare lunch for the children when a large, slightly bewildered looking young man in a black hoody wondered in through the back door. He paused before looking about as if he’d lost something. His face crumpled up a bit, Lan WangJi was unsure if it was from sadness or anger.

“ . . . Can I help you?”

The young man jumped a bit, he seemingly hadn’t noticed the other person in the room.

“ . . . Shizun . . .” Was all he was able to mumble out.

They stared at each for awhile before Lan WangJi asked “Shen Yuan?”

Nod.

“He’s setting up for the lesson after nap-time.”

“ . . . oh? May I go see him?”

“ . . . No.”

“Why not?” There was hard edge underlining to the question.

Lan WangJi huffed as he went to check the rice. “There are children here.”

The young man blinked. “Why are there children?”

“This is a daycare.”

“Oh . . .” The young man nodded in understanding, then shifted about uncomfortably, clenching and unclenching his hands.

Since he hadn’t tried to leave the kitchen Lan WangJi decided for the time being he wasn’t a threat and went back to cooking. He was just starting to place the meat in the heated pan when there came a pained strangled sound from behind him.

“Elder Brother, do you even know how to cook?!”

Offended Lan Wangji turned to give him a reproached look. The food he made might be bland but it was at least edible. Brother Xie somehow always manage to charr everything to black bits; while Brother Shen only knew how to microwave food. Such was the life of bachelors from well off families. Though Brother Xie had the excuse of having not lived anywhere with a kitchen in some years. It also surprisingly stung when a three year old tells you your cooking is awful.

Ignoring the glare, the young man rolled up the sleeves of his hoodie before grabbing the cooking utensils from Lan WangJi’s hands.

“If you cook the meat like that it’ll get all tough. You want it soft.”

****

Sometime later Shen Yuan wandered into the kitchen to see about helping Brother Lan with the lunch. And found it a little more crowed then usual.

“What’s this? Did you hire a cook while I was a way Brother Lan?”

There was a clatter as the young man fumbled the rice spoon. Luckily no rice was lost in the process.

“ . . . Maybe.” Came the rumbled reply. “He seems to know you.”

“Does he?” He looked at the young man. There was something about his face that felt familiar. It was a very handsome face, still with a touch of boyish softness giving it a devilish charm. The half ponytail in his wavy hair gave him a slight wilded look. Where had he seen him before?

A blush had started to creep up the young man’s face while he fidgeted with the rice spoon.

“Has Shizun forgotten this student?”

Student?

“Oh! Little Luo Binghe! Though you’re not so little anymore!” Shen Yuan couldn’t help but grin at seeing his favorite student.

The last time he had seen this student he had been a gangly 17 year old who barely came up to his shoulder. What a surprise he grew up to be so tall and handsome! He was even taller then Brother Lan who was also very tall.

Luo Binghe face crumpled up, the corners of his eyebrows twitched. Did the boy have a stomach ache?

****

Everything was just too much for Luo Binghe. Here was his old Shizun, smiling as if he hadn’t just up and disappeared five years ago. Like he knew nothing of what happened afterwards. Anger clogged his throat while his heart felt like it was being strangled.

“Shizun,” he finally managed to scrape out while glowering down at the spoon, “where have you been all this time? Did you not think people would worry?”

The last bit was interrupted by Brother Lan.

“Sit down before you pass out.”

A weak voice protested with the sound of chair being pulled out, “Eh? I’m fine Brother Lan, I’m fine.”

Luo Binghe looked up as a pale Shen Yuan was gently pushed to sit.

“Is Shizun unwell?” The Shizun he remembered had always been healthy.

“I’m fine!” he exclaimed waving his hand as if to shoo the concern away. He’s face then turned a pale green nearly matching the shirt he wore. Slowly he bent forward to place his head between his knees.

“You were up editing for that friend of yours again.” Brother Lan stated.

There was an awkward silence before Shizun answered with a sheepish, “I couldn’t sleep.”

The other man huffed before turning to fill a glass with water and setting it on the table next to Shizun, still folded in half over his knees. A gruff “Rest” was muttered before he left the kitchen. An uncomfortable silence blanketed the room, only broken by the sound of the rice cooker beeping that it was done.

A quiet, muffled “I’m sorry.” came shortly after. Slowly Shen Yuan raised his head until he was able to sit up straight. “I had not wanted to worry anyone. I was very selfish that day when I choose not to return or to give a proper goodbye. I understand if you’re angry with this Shizun.”

The man before him wasn’t the same Shizun. He was too thin and pale. Luo Binghe had dreamed about returning the suffering he’d had after Shizun left. Make him understand the betrayal he felt those five years ago. But he hadn’t expected this, this shadow of a man. He felt his heart being pinched in sympathy. How could he rage at a man who looked as if a gust of wind would blow him over. It was just so unfair.

Before he could find anymore words to say Brother Lan returned with a much smaller man in tow.

“Brother Shen! I heard you nearly fainted again! Are you alright?” This new brother smiled comfortingly while gently petting Shen Yuan on the head. “Should we postpone your lesson for tomorrow? I can always take the older children with when I take the younger ones to the park to play.”

Shizun shook his head as he accepted a medication bottle that Brother Lan handed him. Shaking a few out he swallowed them with the water from early before answering.

“No I’ll be fine once I’ve rested, but thank you Brother Xie. Don’t glare at me like that Brother Lan, I’m just tired.”

Luo Binghe glanced at the brother in question. His face was still as stone as ever. He’d been in close proximity to him for almost an hour as he’d helped cook. The man had said very little both with his words and his face. But the feeling of closeness the two men had with his Shizun grated at him strangely.

“You should rest upstairs.”  Said Brother Lan, “It will be quieter.” Shen Yuan looked as if he was going to argue when he said, “I will tell Yue.” A look of horror crossed Shizun’s face.

“That’s playing dirty!”

“Take better care and I would not have too.”

Then for the first time in his young life Luo Binghe saw Shizun pout.

****

The problem with Wei Wuxian isn’t that he’s not aware he’s queer. He’s well aware he’s a bi disaster. He just forgets he’s not the only one. And right now he’s in agony.

Those older sisters weren’t lying when they called this the Handsome Brothers’ Daycare. All the brothers here were definitely VERY handsome, and probably also very straight. Even the grumpy puppy in the back that glared at him from the doorway when he was talking to Brother Shen. That one was too young for his tastes though. Brother Shen wasn’t too bad. He seemed very gentle and had a good face despite looking like he might have been ill recently. It made Wei Wuxian want to wrap him up like a burrito and feed him soup.

There was another brother he’d yet to get a good look at as he was being dragged about by small children. He seem to be a small bean with a blinding smile. Wei Wuxian could image cuddling with him. Just the right size to tuck under his chin.

Right now though he was fighting hard not to tease the stone faced brother in front of him, typing away at the computer. The serious ones were Wei Wuxian’s favorite. They always reacted in one of two ways to his flirting. Either they would get flustered but be too polite to say anything, or they’d get angry and start yelling. But given that this stone face brother was the owner and Wei Wuxian REALLY needed someone to watch his son and nephew, he’d just have to keep his shamelessness to himself.

He wasn’t supposed to be work this morning. Him and his Shijie had an arrangement so that when one of them was working the other could watch both of their munchkins. But one of his part-time jobs had called him in a panic saying they really need him to come in. Being the bleed heart he was he agreed to if he could find someone to watch the kids. A lot of the other parents in his apartment complex however also had work. But one of the ladies took pity on him and told him to check out the daycare by the old park.

The prices were surprisingly reasonable, and the place, while not new looking, looked clean and inviting. The walls were painted with murals of clouds and mountains, almost making you believe you were in the heavens with the early morning sunlight streaming in through the big windows at the front of the building. Along the walls were shelves full of books and toys for the children to play with. The floor was littered with squishy bean bags and overly large pillows for siting or laying on. The preschool lessons had a small sectioned off area to the back with folding screens if the smaller children proved too distracting. Apparently there was even a vegetable garden out back where a small colony of bunnies lived that the kids could help care for.

Wei Wuxian was almost jealous. This was practically a small paradise for children. On top of that they got to play all day with all these handsome brothers and demand all the hugs they wanted! He was so distracted by the musings of his crooked little heart that he forgot that he had decided to behave himself.

“Lan Er Gege, you must have all the single moms fawning over you being so handsome.” Wei Ying gave him his most flirty smile awhile giving him a very obvious once over.

The man in question paused in his typing to turn his pale eyes to Wei Wuxian. He did look very good, with his shoulder length black hair tied back while wearing a well tailored, pale blue dress shirt with a slim white necktie. The tie, he observed had little cloud motifs embroidered in a marching thread color to his shirt, which he found rather cute. Neckties were also great for playing with.

To his utter disappointment though, Brother Lan did not react to his flirtation. The man merely blinked twice before turning back to the computer. What Wei Ying hadn’t noticed was that the lobs of Brother Lan’s ears had started to turn red.

Wei Wuxian was just thinking of his next attack when the small child in his arms started to squirm. When he’d left the apartment this morning to take A-Yuan and A-Ling to the daycare, A-Yuan had still been fast asleep. Instead of waking him Wei Wuxian decided to just carry him even though he was getting quite big for a three year old.

“Oh ho! Is someone finally waking up?” Wei Ying couldn’t keep the glee out his voice as his son sleepy blinked his eyes open. Since he couldn’t tease the stone faced brother he could tease this small child.

A-Yuan however was too well aquatinted with his Papa’s teasing and not awake enough to deal with it. With his tiny hands he patted at Wei Ying’s face that was definitely trying to blow him raspberries, while voicing a pitiful “ nooooo “ while looking about for an escape. He then spotted Brother Lan who looked both very serious and intimidating. Filled with hope he stretched his little arms out to him with a small “Eh!”

Lan Wangji’s brows lifted in surprise. Then hesitantly he reached across the counter. With a quiet “pardon me” he lifted A-Yuan out of Wei Wuxian’s arms. Then settled him above his right hip. A-Yuan safe from the teasing Papa, happily wrapped his little arms about his savior’s neck and went back to sleep.

Wei Ying felt too many things at once. He felt betrayed that his own child (well adopted child, but he’d still known A-Yuan since he was born) would choose someone over him. He was jealous that this brother got to snuggle with his son, A-Yuan was picky about who he snuggled with. And he was jealous that his son got to snuggle with this good looking brother. But also Wei Ying’s crooked little heart was being strangled by how cute this whole thing was. He wished that someone with a phone had been present to record this! Then he realized that his son just presented him with the perfect opportunity.

“Oh my goodness! this is just too cute! Could I take picture!” He was already pulling his phone out. Brother Lan at first seem not to hear, then blinked a few time. After a moment he nodded. Wei Wuxian snapped three pictures before the other man could say anything. With the morning light casting a soft glow on them it looked so wholesome, as if a father was holding his son before going off to work at the office. It was almost worth getting rejected to have this picture.

“Uncle Ying!” Came a tiny voice by his knee.

“Hmm” Wei Ying looked down at his other charge, his two year old nephew A-Ling. His nephew was pouting up at him while gripping his pant leg with one hand while holding a small dog plushie with the other.

“Hmmm? Do you want something A-Ling?” Wei Wuxian asked knowing full well what the toddler wanted. The two year old hadn’t taken well to having to share his Uncle Ying. The whole way here he had whined to be carried too. Now that A-Yuan had vacated to someone else’s arms he expected to be picked up. Sadly for him Uncle Ying’s crooked heart still wasn’t satisfied with its teasing.

A few things have changed since writing part one. A original I was going to have Lan Wangji like actually hire Luo Binghe, but now I think it’s going to be more of Luo Binghe just shows up to cook food and harass Shizun to take a fucking nap. For the most part Lan Wangji is fine with it as long as he’s not an actually threat to anyone and Shen Yuan doesn’t work himself to death.

I also changed A-Yuan’s age. In part 1 I said he was 2, but he’s suppose to be older the A-Ling, so I made his 3 and A-ling 2.

Anyway, just one brother left to introduce! I’m kind of excited to try writing Hua Cheng. 

Also thank you again for all the likes and reblogs! It means a lot that people are enjoying this au! 

Also drew these guys kissing the other day WeiLan |  HuaXie LuoShen

[delicioussshame]

Too long for tumblr, too bad to be posted by itself on AO3, have this ABO future AU where LBH and SY never got together.

There is always something bittersweet about Shizun visiting.

Luo Binghe loves having him here. He loves that Shizun obviously feels comfortable enough around him that he doesn’t mind being in the demon realm, away from allies and friends.

He hates knowing that no matter how pleasant their time together was, Shen Qingqiu will eventually leave to return to his bamboo house.

He tries to put that last thought out of his mind and just enjoy his shizun’s company.

It’s just that there is something else going on today. Something that is incommoding Shizun. He keeps twitching as if he can’t sit still. His skin has a pinker shade than usual. His gaze sometimes lingers on Luo Binghe in a way that is very hard to ignore.

Luo Binghe does all he can to do so anyway. Why raise his hopes up at this point?

When his usually graceful shizun manages to send a cup rolling, spilling tea over the table, Luo Binghe cannot blind himself anymore. “Shizun isn’t feeling well today. Is there anything this disciple can do to help?” He can’t help the eager tilt in his voice. He wants to help Shen Qingqiu so badly. He still wants Shen Qingqiu to smile at him kindly and pet his head gently, praising him for being good, the way he used to do when Luo Binghe was still a child.

Shen Qingqiu stumbles. He flushes, embarrassed. “This isn’t something Binghe should bother himself with. It will pass. It’s just unexpected. I should have remained home today.”

That’s strange? What condition could he be talking about? “What is Shizun suffering from?”

Shen Qingqiu sighs. “Well, Binghe is more than old enough to know. He probably figured it out already, didn’t he? He must have experience dealing with this with others.”

Luo Binghe stays silent. He has no idea what his shizun is talking about, but he’s not going to tell him that. He doesn’t want to appear stupid in front of Shen Qingqiu.

“Your master is an omega. I am currently feeling the first symptoms of an unprompted heat. I was already here when I first felt it, so I thought it would be rude of me to leave without seeing you, but it’s been more distracting than I would have expected.”

Luo Binghe tries not to white out at this unexpected knowledge. “Shizun doesn’t smell like it.”

Shen Qingqiu waves it away. “I’ve always hidden my natural scent. Easier to live without attracting attention that way.”

“I see.”

Shen Qingqiu rises. “Since Binghe understands, I will take my leave.”

“Where is Shizun going!? He should be careful! His condition makes him vulnerable!” If someone were to cross paths with his shizun so impaired and decided to take advantage… He couldn’t stand it.

“Back to my peak. As I said, this is unexpected, so I have no other arrangements. It will just pass. I’ll be fine.”

“Qing Jing Peak is much too far! Shizun should remain here. I can make sure he’ll be comfortable and undisturbed, if that’s what he prefers.” It will be a trial like no other, having Shen Qingqiu so close, knowing his body is begging for an alpha’s touch, but it will be better than having him on the road, pretending to be unaffected and failing miserably.

Shen Qingqiu shakes his head. “I couldn’t inconvenience Binghe so.”

“It would be no bother! The palace has personnel used to providing adequate care for omega guests.”

“Binghe, it’s not a good idea.”

“Why not? Shizun would be safe and taken care of.” Luo Binghe isn’t letting him go, and that’s final.

He can’t make himself do so.

“Binghe, are you really going to make me say this?”

Now, Luo Binghe is confused. His master had just admitted he was going into heat? What could he find more embarrassing than this? “Shizun can tell me anything. I wouldn’t tell a soul.” He would also make sure anyone witness to his shizun’s secrets wouldn’t be able to betray them.

Shen Qingqiu rubs his temples. “You’re not the child I raised anymore. You must have more self-awareness than this.”

Self-awareness? “I don’t know what Shizun is talking about.”

Luo Binghe recognises that the gruffness in Shen Qingqiu’s voice is a mask to hide deep embarrassment. “I can’t be around an alpha of Binghe’s calibre when I’m like this. I’ll shame myself.”

It takes all of his energy to keep himself in control. Too much enthusiasm and he’ll scare Shizun away. “Is Shizun implying he thinks he would proposition me?”

Shen Qingqiu’s lack of composure gives him away. “Binghe!”

Keep yourself in check. Don’t scare him. Don’t act like this is a favorite fantasy of yours you’ve been entertaining since you were thirteen and found out you were an alpha. “If Shizun prefers not to be alone, I would be honored to be his companion.”

Luo Binghe knows that Shen Qingqiu isn’t quite in his right mind. That the way he’s responding to his overture doesn’t mean anything in the long term.

But here, in this moment, Shen Qingqiu cannot deny he wants Luo Binghe. It’s written all over him, from the heat on his face to the tightening of his fingers on his robes.

Luo Binghe charges on. “If Shizun would allow me to, I would love nothing more than making sure that everything goes perfectly for him, in all aspects.” Luo Binghe reaches for his shizun, holding his delicate, warm, trembling hand in his. “I will take him to his room, where he can safely wait for the right time to come. Meanwhile, I will discreetly arrange for all he might need, and only when this is done will I join him.” His fingers tighten their hold on him. “As an alpha, I promise I will fulfill all his needs and desires.”

Luo Binghe cannot tell if his teacher’s scent is fluctuating under the influence of his words, but he’s almost certain Shen Qingqiu can smell his own attraction. He will know Luo Binghe is honest.

“Binghe… I cannot compare to the ladies you usually spend time with.”

Luo Binghe has no idea what ladies he’s referring to. “Shizun has nothing to be ashamed of.” Luo Binghe could easily sing Shen Qingqiu’s praises for hours, but he knows he would scare him away.

“Are you certain? Binghe shouldn’t feel obligated. I can wait it out.”

Shizun, in what world would bedding you be an obligation? No one on this earth would think so. “I’m certain.”

“Then, I will be in your care.” There is a hint of hesitation still in his voice.

Luo Binghe will make sure none remains by the end. “I won’t disappoint.”

____________

Luo Binghe visits Lin Lian himself.

She isn’t startled by his sudden, unannounced appearance. She is known for taking everything in stride, which is one of the reasons why she is so good at her job. “Junshang.”

“Shizun is going into heat. Everything needs to be perfect.”

She doesn’t even flinch, never mind asking why beta Shen Qingqiu was going into heat.

Then again, Luo Binghe now suspects he probably employs a few hidden omegas himself.

“Alone?”

“No. I’ll mind him.” Luo Binghe might have banned any mention of Resentment of Chunshan from his palace, but he doesn’t expect his servants not to be aware of it. She won’t need more than this.

While Lin Lian is officially just another senior servant, she is the one in charge of omega affairs. Be it making sure schedules allow for planned heats, providing supplies for inconvenienced guests, or keeping alphas at bay where they’re unwanted, Lin Lian was the one handling it all. She, more than anyone in the palace, would know what to do.

She nods. “A sudden heat?”

Luo Binghe acquiesces.

“It won’t last long then. They show up fast and pass just as quickly. When did he start feeling it?”

“A few hours ago.”

“He’s almost there, then. No time for ample preparation. I suppose you won’t let my people in the room?”

Luo Binghe answers that question with a growl that menaces to turn into a roar at any second. No one will be allowed near Shizun in this state. Not even another omega.

“If it lasts only a few hours, you won’t have to do much. If it’s longer, please make sure he eats and drinks a bit. His heat will be hard on him. Even a cultivator should feed to replenish themselves. We keep food that is both easily eaten and kept for this kind of occasion.”

Luo Binghe hates that he won’t be able to cook for Shizun himself. The feast he’d planned isn’t appropriate for the current situation.

Later, then.

“You might also wish to bathe him, and change the sheets as he soaks. Omegas expect alphas to tend to their physical needs. Anything more can come at a pleasant surprise.”

Luo Binghe bets Shen Qingqiu won’t be surprised. He had taken care of such tasks for his shizun for years, when they were still sharing a roof.

Unless his “other arrangements” weren’t as attentive. Luo Binghe hadn’t missed that sentence. Who did Shen Qingqiu turn to in his time of need, if not Luo Binghe himself? Liu Qingge? Yue Qingyuan? Someone else, unknown to Luo Binghe?

Whoever they were, they won’t have him now.

If he treats Shen Qingqiu as lovingly as he should be treated, maybe he’ll never turn to them again. While it isn’t what he wanted, calling Shen Qingqiu his omega every time his nature overwhelms him is much better than what he has now.

He gathers everything Lin Lian prepares for him, carrying food and sheets carefully via hidden passageways. The less people knew of the situation, the better. If Shen Qingqiu’s long-kept secret was exposed because of Luo Binghe’s carelessness, Shizun might not forgive him.

As soon as he opens the door to his shizun’s room, he is hit by what he assumes must be his teacher’s natural scent, so strong Luo Binghe finds himself following its call mindlessly until he reaches Shen Qingqiu, lying on his bed only in thin white inner robes glued to his skin.

Luo Binghe unceremoniously dumps everything on a nearby table, too distracted by the spectacle of his shizun flushed and panting to care about anything else. “Shizun?”

Shen Qingqiu lifts foggy eyes toward him. “Binghe…”

Shizun is calling for him. What could he do but answer? Luo Binghe climbs on the bed, throwing off jewelry and pieces of clothing as he approaches.

He freezes just as he’s about to touch. Will he really do this? Can he really, finally press his lips to Shen Qingqiu, discover the taste of his skin and the sound of his moans? Worse, will he become intimately familiar with his scent as it crescendos? Shen Qingqiu said the heat was unplanned; is there a chance their union will bear fruits?

He has to ask. “Shizun, is this really all right? Will you permit your Binghe to cherish you as you should always be cherished?”

Even through the fog of heat, Luo Binghe can tell the blush is born out of embarrassment, not desire. “Binghe! Don’t talk! Just… do what you have to do.”

It’s as much permission as his beloved will ever give. “As Shizun wishes, then.”

At least Shen Qingqiu is too out of it to notice Luo Binghe’s own nerves as he finally kisses him for the first time.

But not the last.

____________

Luo Binghe wants this to never end.

Shen Qingqiu is nestled on his chest, still exhausted from their activities. He smells different now that the heavy pull of his heat has lifted. Bamboo and orchids on a rainy day, perhaps.

Luo Binghe had been a bit reluctant to bathe him, once the heat had broken and Shen Qingqiu was close to sleep, but he was familiar enough with his shizun’s temperament to know that he would much prefer to wake up clean than still covered in sweat and semen. And what Shen Qingqiu wanted, Shen Qingqiu got.

He doesn’t quite regret it. Fresh sheets and clean skin meant that Shen Qingqiu had no incentive to wake up, instead curling up against Luo Binghe to keep awareness at bay.

It is paradise on earth, holding Shen Qingqiu such. Petting his soft hair as he wishes. Feeling his slow, steady breath on his chest. Hearing the contented beat of his heart.

Of course, all good things must come to an end. Shen Qingqiu starts to move, obviously fighting off sleep.

Finally, he blinks cloudy eyes at Luo Binghe. “Binghe…?”

Luo Binghe refuses to flinch. Instead, he tightens the arm thrown oh so carelessly across his shizun’s side. “Shizun. Did you sleep well?” Because if he didn’t, Luo Binghe will happily hold him to sleep again.

Instead of flustering, as Luo Binghe expected, Shen Qingqiu snuggles a bit closer. “Yes, but I’m not ready to rise yet.”

Ah. As far as Luo Binghe knows, it is not unheard of for omegas just over their heat to still feel bonded to their alpha, demanding closeness and comfort when they would usually demure. “We can remain here as long as Shizun wants.” His heat was too short for him to need food right now. He’ll be hungry, but that can wait.

(This has nothing to do with Luo Binghe’s desire to feed Shen Qingqiu proper food instead of aging snacks made without love or care.)

Shen Qingqiu lets out a sigh that is almost a giggle. “Binghe doesn’t have better things to do?”

Nothing could be more important than this. “They can wait.”

Shen Qingqiu… tuts? “Aren’t you the ruler of this realm? Do you push your responsibilities aside anytime you help an omega in need?”

“Why does Shizun think I do this regularly? I would only favor someone worthy so.”

At this, Shen Qingqiu does fluster. “Surely I am not ‘someone worthy’?”

Luo Binghe scuffs. “Who could be worthier than my shizun?”

Shen Qingqiu does laugh then, a light, airy thing that rings into Luo Binghe’s ears. “What a diligent disciple Binghe is, willing to take care of his shizun even in this.”

There are no circumstances where Luo Binghe wouldn’t be willing to take care of Shen Qingqiu.

But if he tells him this, he will run. Luo Binghe knows. He remembers too many of his attempts failing as Shen Qingqiu remembered something urgent he had to do, or a person he had to meet, whenever his disciple tried to express his less-than-platonic interest.

It has finally been long enough that Shen Qingqiu has managed to make himself forget. Luo Binghe cannot risk his teacher avoiding him again by being too forward.

He can, however, offer exactly this. “This disciple is indeed diligent enough that he would gladly care for his shizun again, when his proper heat arrives.”

Shen Qingqiu looks up at him from where he’s still resting against his heart. “Really? This master is grateful for his disciple’s help, but he doesn’t have to force himself by sleeping with an old man.”

This is painful. “Shizun can believe me when I say nothing about last night was me forcing himself. Or are his memories so hazy that he does not remember my enjoyment?” Because Luo Binghe would certainly not mind reminding him of it with actions instead of words.

He gets a light slap on his side. “An alpha enjoys any omega in heat. I know it’s not personal.”

Luo Binghe has to bite his lips not to cry in dismay. If anything, any alpha would enjoy Shizun no matter what the circumstance were. “It was personal for me.”

He sees it instantly. A tightening of Shen Qingqiu’s expression; his body sliding off Luo Binghe’s as Shen Qingqiu apparently decides he has had enough of lazing around. “Binghe is being ridiculous. This master is nothing special.”

He can’t let this stand. “I apologise if I offended Shizun, but he has to know I care for him deeply. He cannot consider himself as just another stranger I take to bed. His well-being is important to me.”

As he expected, his emphasis on Shen Qingqiu’s well-being, an expression of platonic concern instead of romantic interest, soothes some of Shen Qingqiu’s nerves. “Binghe is really too good a pupil. I don’t deserve him.”

Luo Binghe suddenly wonders if those words might be more than a rote phrase. “Shizun deserves the world. I’m nothing compared to it.”

Another light slap. “Really, ridiculous.” He finally lifts off the bed, looking for his robes, almost unmindful of his easy, effortlessly seductive nudity. “I’m hungry. Does Binghe know if it’s time for dinner?” He finds the abandoned snacks. “He brought food! Binghe really did a good job.”

“Shizun, no! I will go make Shizun a proper dinner. He shouldn’t spoil his appetite with these. Who knows who made them. They might be bad for him!”

Shen Qingqiu puts the bun down. “Binghe didn’t make these? I’ll wait then.”

Luo Binghe trained his teacher so well. “Does Shizun have preferences? I’ll cook whatever he wishes.”

Shen Qingqiu shakes his head. “Anything Binghe makes is delicious.”

If Shen Qingqiu decided to stay, Luo Binghe would prepare his every meal and relish doing so, as he used to do so long ago.  

Alas, Shen Qingqiu won’t. Instead, he will return to Qing Jing Peak and teach Luo Binghe’s shidi.

Luo Binghe can’t even blame him. Others deserve to have the same chance he got.

In the meantime, Luo Binghe will make his stay as sweet as possible.

Maybe if he does well, Shen Qingqiu will tell him when his regular heat is expected.

If he does really well, he will return here for it.

It’s a start.

[delicioussshame]

Still finishing old stuff. Have some reverse sex pollen.

Luo Binghe is crying and Shen Qingqiu can’t even comfort him. “Your husband isn’t mad. Mu-shidi said the effects would disappear by themselves in two weeks. We’ve been apart longer. It will be fine.”

Between sobs, Luo Binghe tries to speak. “It’s not the same! “

Of course it’s not the same, but they’ve been caught in much worse predicaments before. “Binghe is strong. He can handle it. Would it be easier on him if he returned to the demon realm and I remained at the sect by myself?”

“No! If I can’t even touch my husband, I at least want him by my side.”

“Then, this is where this master shall remain.”

Binghe reaches for him, and like all times before, he flinches in revulsion as soon as his hand brushes against Shen Qingqiu’s skin.

He starts crying even harder. “What if Shizun starts thinking I don’t love him anymore?”

Shen Qingqiu taps him with his fan. As long as their skin doesn’t touch, Binghe should be fine. “Where did he get the idea this master was this stupid? Luo Binghe has been poisoned. Of course I understand it’s not his fault.”

Luo Binghe sniffles. “Shizun doesn’t mind?”

Shen Qingqiu will never tell him he might be looking forward to two whole weeks of undisturbed rest. Sure, he’ll probably miss more casual forms of affection, but he’s pretty certain it won’t be anywhere near as hard for him as it will be for Luo Binghe. “I don’t. We’ll get through this.”

Luo Binghe wipes his eyes in a frustrated gesture. “If Shizun says so, it must be true.”

_____________

Shen Qingqiu never realised how often he actually touched his husband until he has to stop himself from doing it. Two days in, and the way Luo Binghe recoils when Shen Qingqiu forgets himself is already getting on his nerves.

It’s just that Shen Qingqiu always touched Luo Binghe. Redressing his clothes, arranging his hair, patting his shoulders. He always did it without thinking twice about it. He can’t remember how often he wiped tears off his weepy eyes.

Now all of this is forbidden to him.

It’s annoying.

_____________

Five days in, and Shen Qingqiu finds his gaze lingering on his husband. He has to shake himself away from his plush lips, his muscled frame, his large hands.

He’s being ridiculous and he knows it. Luo Binghe is the sticky one! It’s only been a few days. And his disciple is right here! He can talk with him whenever he wants. It should be more than enough.

He thought Luo Binghe would whine more. He thought he would keep on crying, lamenting that it’s a crime that he can’t have his husband. He thought Luo Binghe would be the one to snatch his hand back in dismay.

He was wrong. Luo Binghe is dealing with their situation much better than he expected. In fact, he seems content with their platonic cohabitation. He cooks for Shen Qingqiu like he always does, cleans around the house, chats with him happily.

Maybe he should have expected it. After all, his husband is the one whose desire for touch has been annihilated.

But surely he must feel lonely when he goes to bed in his childhood bedroom?

Shen Qingqiu does. His bed is cold without Luo Binghe to exude warmth.

He spends a lot of time cultivating.

_____________

There’s only two days left.

Shen Qingqiu can’t wait.

As much as it pains him to admit it, Luo Binghe trained him well. He’s used to sating the protagonist’s needs. He went so far as thinking about just… taking care of things quickly to help.

He didn’t, because he knows Luo Binghe would find out and tease him mercilessly after. Also, there’s two days left. He can take it.

Anyway, it wouldn’t help. Not really. Not when what Shen Qingqiu really misses is his husband.

_____________

One measly day before the poison is set to pass, Shang Qinghua shows up frazzled, carrying a message from Mobei-Jun demanding Luo Binghe’s urgent return to put down a revolt in the southern part of the realm.

Shen Qingqiu resolves to spend all his time until Luo Binghe returns filling out requests for funds, food, instruments, practise swords, ink and everything else he can think of to burrow Shang Qinghua under paperwork. If Shen Qingqiu is going to be separated from his husband, so can Airplane-bro. Let him taste how fun that is for himself.

_____________

Shen Qingqiu accepts Liu Qingge’s invite to go monster hunting without a second thought.

He needs to kill something.

_____________

“Shizun, I’m ba-“

At the moment, Shen Qingqiu couldn’t care less what Luo Binghe has to say. It can fucking wait until after he has reacquainted himself with the feel of his husband’s skin.

_____________

“Maybe I should get some of that poison for further use.”

Shen Qingqiu freezes. “No.” He’s not going through that hell again, not if he can help it.

“But Shizun was so affectionate after! It almost made up for all the time I couldn’t touch him.”

If Shen Qingqiu had any energy left, he would slap him. “Maybe it was simple for Binghe since he didn’t want to touch his husband, but not being able to slap some sense into his disciple wasn’t easy for this master.”

Luo Binghe straightens up beside him. “Shizun! How could you think that! Of course having to restrain myself was a challenge like no other. Even if I didn’t want to, I still wanted to.”

“Well, it didn’t look like it.”

Luo Binghe pulls Shen Qingqiu’s body into his. “Apologies to Shizun for having neglected him. Now that I am aware of how unpleasant this was for him, this disciple will make certain it never happens again, as long as Shizun promises the same to him. If I were the one Shizun couldn’t handle touching, I could never bear it with as much grace as he did.”

Shen Qingqiu has no desire for any version of this shitty event to happen again. “Fine. This master promises. Binghe has better keep his word.”

Luo Binghe turns Shen Qingqiu toward him and kisses him until the frown still lingering on his face fades. “Shizun apparently isn’t convinced his husband missed him.” His hand slides down the line of his back. “Can this disciple request permission to try and convince him otherwise?”

Encouraging Luo Binghe when he’s like this is the kind of choice that leads to Shen Qingqiu sequestering himself in his bed all day tomorrow. “You can try. It won’t be easy though.” It doesn’t matter much, since Binghe is back. His husband will relish the excuse to wait on him hand and foot.

“Thanking Shizun for his graciousness.”