#the Heavens would have been all over Hua cheng if HE’d lost and tried to back out

[silver-cyn]

Hua Cheng and the 33 Gods

I like to remember that Hua Cheng didn’t murder 33 heavenly officials.

He essentially challenged them to a dual they willingly accepted, and they lost.

What was on the line?

—-

“Before the challenge, it was decided that if Hua Cheng were to lose, he would offer up his own ashes. If the officials were to lose, they must descend from the heavens and return to being mortals…”

Volume 1, Chapter 5 pg. 168

——

The original bet wasn’t even calling for their deaths. I missed this detail initially, I think. Those heavenly officials would only give up their godhood and become mortal again. Yet Hua Cheng put his ashes on the line.

Imagine if Hua Cheng had tried to go back on his word. Those Heavenly officials would have tried to force him, and all of Heaven would say they were in the right for it. So it really shows their own lack of honor and cowardice that they decided not to keep their word.

Honestly, it’s a very human response I mostly find funny. It’s just so ironic to me because as a Ghost King, Hua Cheng is seen as naturally evil and something to be feared and hated by the heavens. And Heavenly officials are supposed to be so upright and honorable and yet as the story progresses, more and more of Heaven’s corruption is revealed.

——

“However, not a single heavenly official voluntarily honored the terms…

…The gods refused to fulfill their promise? That was fine, he would give them a hand. Thus, Hua Cheng burned every single temple and shrine of all thirty-three gods.

…The number of temples and shrines of these heavenly officials combined was at least in the tens of thousands, but Hua Cheng managed to burn them all in a single night…

The gods cried foul to the Heavenly Emperor, but there was nothing he could do. The heavenly officials themselves accepted the challenge and the terms, and Hua Cheng was cunning enough to only destroy temples without hurting anyone…

…The heavenly officials who lost both their temples and believers soon grew weaker and weaker, until they were erased from existence. It wasn’t until a new wave of ascensions that those empty positions were filled again….”

Volume 1, Chapter 5 pages 168 & 169

——

I just love how Hua Cheng handled the situation.

- defeat and humiliate the gods at their own game, check

- burn down their temples when they go back on their word, check

- effectively tie Heaven’s hands as all those heavenly officials accepted his challenge willingly and he caused no harm to innocents, check

Like, damn. My man was on point every step of the way and I love that about him. 🦋🦋🦋

Update: Edited my thoughts a little better annnnd wanted to add a few other things…

When Hua Cheng’s background is being discussed it mentions different possibilities， including the bit about him ascending as a god and jumping back down. I knew it was mentioned later but completely forgot it was hinted at this early. (See pages 165 & 166 of Chapter 5)

And then there’s this gem:

“Ever since then, the name Hua Cheng was feared in the heavens. Even just hearing a mention of red robes or silver butterflies brought cold sweat to many.

Some feared he would challenge them and burn their temples if they were to incur his displeasure, some were blackmailed into silence and inaction because he had them by the balls, and some even oddly respected him because of how wide his reach was in the Mortal Realm.

Sometimes, they even had to ask him for help paving the way for them while they carried out their duties. This went on for a long time, and many heavenly officials developed a peculiar sort of admiration for him. Thus, the heavens feared, hated, and respected this Ghost King.”

Volume 1, Chapter 5 pg. 169 & 170

—-

Whoa! The gods had to sometimes ask for Hua Cheng’s help?! 😂😂

Imagine how much that hurt their pride. Imagine how petty Hua Cheng could be in providing his aid. That is hilarious.

[the-kaedageist]

@thunderpo​ asked for “on a particularly difficult day HC [cause I’m BiasedTM] sneakily seeking cuddles from his fave person?”

I hope this is everything you wanted!!!

banish the lonely echos with your smile (tgcf, hualian, ~1300 words)

Eight hundred years of loneliness and separation hadn’t vanished into the ether the moment Hua Cheng had Xie Lian regularly in his life, as much as he wished it so. There were days when he was fine, when everything was magical and he was filled with so much love and joy that the dark times he’d survived felt so far away that they could barely touch him. Then there were the days when it hung over him like a cloud, just waiting for a chance to bring him back to those long, hollow years of searching.

When he awoke in a cold bed, devoid of Dianxia, and felt emptiness clench around his heart, he knew immediately that it was going to be one of those days.

He remained bed for several minutes, staring up at the ceiling. Xie Lian’s side of the bed was cold; he’d been clearly up for hours. It was almost as though he wasn’t really there, still wandering the world, lost to Hua Cheng.

Ghost kings did not lie around being maudlin. Hua Cheng forced himself out of bed and started his day.

Upon rising, he couldn’t locate Xie Lian anywhere in Paradise Manor, so he sent a quick inquiry through the communications array.

“Oh, San Lang!” Xie Lian replied, sounding distracted. “I had to help Mu Qing and Feng Xin with an issue. I’ll be back by noon!”

“Let me know when you’re back, gege,” Hua Cheng replied; what else could he do? He was hardly about to burden Xie Lian with how empty he felt. He tried to comfort himself with hearing Xie Lian’s voice, but it wasn’t quite the same.

His morning continued along the same vein. He had a tense exchange with Black Water via array about settling a debt between them, trying very hard to save at least some face and not cut the connection in frustration. By noon, two different ghosts had shown up to complain about various conflicts around Ghost City, hoping for his intervention – this hadn’t happened until Xie Lian’s constant presence had made him seem more approachable. (He promised to send Dianxia to mediate in the coming days, even though what he really wanted to do was to tell them all to fuck off).

Midday also brought the promised return of Xie Lian, all the light of heaven accompanying him as he swept into Paradise Manor with his cheeks aglow from the exertion of returning to earth. His hair was a bit windswept, as were his robes, which provided an excellent excuse for Hua Cheng. He put on his sappiest smile and moved close to tidy Xie Lian’s hair, breathing in the scent of him. Dianxia was here. Hua Cheng wasn’t alone anymore.

“San Lang!” Xie Lian exclaimed, laughing. “What’s this about?”

Hua Cheng continued to groom Xie Lian’s hair with his fingers. “You’re windswept, gege. I’m fixing you.” Xie Lian’s hair was silky and smooth, and Hua Cheng loved the texture of it beneath his fingertips. An excuse to do so was worth the price of a horrible day.

He moved on to rearranging Xie Lian’s robes before stepping away and giving him a once over.

“Better?” Xie Lian asked with a smile. His cheeks were still pink, but Hua Cheng hoped his flush was now from their proximity rather than travel.

“Perfect,” Hua Cheng declared.

For a long moment, the two beamed at each other. Hua Cheng’s fragility was still there, lurking beneath his long-dead heart, but it felt lesser with Xie Lian in front of him like the sun.

As the afternoon progressed, Hua Cheng didn’t let Xie Lian out of his sight. The aching loneliness inside of him wouldn’t allow him to pretend that everything was normal. Instead, he gathered a comb after lunch and seated himself behind Xie Lian, combing through the strands of his still-messy hair until he had all but melted against him. Taking care of Xie Lian made him feel more grounded, but it wasn’t enough.

“I think it’s time to practice calligraphy,” he declared as the afternoon shifted into early evening. What a perfect excuse for Xie Lian to curl up behind him, guiding his strokes expertly. They no longer needed such excuses to be close those days, married as they were, but Hua Cheng still liked that he could use calligraphy to get close to Xie Lian without having to express it out loud.

Sure enough, after he seated himself and began his practice, Xie Lian curled up at his side and “helped” him. The feeling of Dianxia’s soft hands around his, the small puffs of breath against the back of his neck, the way Dianxia radiated the warmth of a hearth – Hua Cheng closed his eyes, desperately memorizing the sensations.

“San Lang, how can you write with your eyes closed?” Xie Lian asked with a laugh, letting go of Hua Chang’s hand and leaning over to cup his palms against Hua Cheng’s face. He studied him for a long moment; Hua Cheng stared back at him, trying not to betray the broken pieces of himself, but he sometimes underestimated how startlingly perceptive Xie Lian could be. “What is it?” his husband murmured.

Hua Cheng froze. They’d never talked about it, not really – Xie Lian rarely discussed the years before his third ascension, other than through offhand comments that were always guaranteed to be disturbing. Hua Cheng had a different method of ignoring the pain of those years, putting on a smiling face and pretending they’d never happened. “I wouldn’t want to trouble gege,” he demurred, half hoping Xie Lian would drop the subject and half hoping he’d pry and shine his light so far into the dark places in Hua Cheng’s soul that it would burn all of the pain away.

Xie Lian frowned as he continued to study him. “I could never be troubled by San Lang’s mood,” he insisted, reaching up to run his elegant fingers through Hua Cheng’s hair. Hua Cheng leaned into his comforting touch. “If you want to share, this one will listen.”

Hua Cheng wished he could turn away, feeling desperately seen by Xie Lian’s compassionate gaze. He swallowed, thought about it, put the words together in his head and then discarded them. He tried again. “Sometimes…it is difficult. To remember those years before I found you again.”

Xie Lian made a small sound, turning Hua Cheng’s face towards him so that he could press their foreheads together, still pressed up against his side. “I’m here, San Lang. I’m not going anywhere.”

The feelings that those words brought up in Hua Cheng were so overwhelming, there wasn’t really much to do other than turn sideways to face Xie Lian, hearing him squeak as he was jostled. Hua Cheng pressed their foreheads back together and took the opportunity to stare deep into Xie Lian’s eyes, reveling in the honest, calm love that he radiated, before he pressed their mouths together. Xie Lian returned the kiss, sighing as he pulled Hua Cheng tightly against him. They traded several kisses, sweet and affectionate, before parting.

“Gege,” Hua Cheng murmured.

“Let’s go to bed, San Lang,” Xie Lian whispered, petting his hair so tenderly that Hua Cheng had to deeply suppress the urge to make a completely undignified sound. “You can get some sleep, and I’ll still be here when you wake up.”

Hua Cheng reached out and tangled their fingers together. “Promise?” he said.

“I promise,” Xie Lian said, pressing a gentle kiss against his forehead.

For the first time since he’d awoken that morning to an empty bed, Hua Cheng felt at peace.

[unforth]

May Trope Mayhem Fill Day 1: Friends to Lovers

Fandom: Tian Guan Ci Fu/Heaven Official’s Blessing

Ship: Xie Lian/Hua Cheng

Rating: Gen

Tags: modern au, tooth-rotting fluff, 520 day, florist Xie Lian

Word count: 2,492

Cross-posted to AO3

@duckprintspress​

The bell over the door rang and Xie Lian turned from the bouquet he was arranging, forcing his expression into a tired smile as he prepared to greet yet another customer. 520 was an auspicious day for love, and a great day for Xie Lian’s shop, but it was exhausting. His smile widened and became more genuine, though, when he saw his customer: Hua Cheng, one of the few regulars that Xie Lian knew well enough to consider a friend. 

Not that they’d ever met any place outside of “Buds to Blooms.”

Not that they’d ever spent much time together.

Not that they talked about anything other than flowers, at least not most of the time.

Not that they had really any relationship at all, no matter how much Xie Lian might want one.

Hua Cheng looked especially dapper for the holiday, tall, slim form clothed in black slacks, a red button up shirt, and a black suit jacket. Silver jewelry adorned his neck, an intricate filigree in the shape of butterfly nestled between the open buttons of the top of his shirt. His fingers were beringed, one looped with a red string that seemed oddly familiar, and sparkling chains were threaded through his long hair. Tiny chimes sounded every time he moved his head. As if his attire wasn’t enough to demonstrate that he had a date for the evening, his eye patch, usually plain, today was decorated with a red felt heart that Xie Lian suspected had been sewn on by hand.

He was gorgeous.

(read more!)

Something unpleasantly like jealousy curdled in Xie Lian’s stomach. If only he were the one that Hua Cheng got dressed up for...if only he were the one Hua Cheng wanted...if only--

“Xie Lian?” Hua Cheng asked.

Blinking, Xie Lian flushed. He’d been staring, a white rose stem still clutched in one hand, his trimmers in the other. With a shake of his head, he shoved the blossom into the arrangement he’d been working on, set the clippers down, and wiped his hands on his apron as he stepped out from behind the counter. 

“Good evening, Hua Cheng,” he said brightly. Being jealous of the man, woman, or genderqueer individual privileged to spend the evening with Hua Cheng was absurd. “You’ve got perfect timing, I was just about to close up for the night.” Xie Lian was under no delusions of what his actual relationship with Hua Cheng was - customer and businessman, with a splash of friendship. “Indeed...I’d probably be closed already, except I wanted to get a head start on tomorrow.”

“I know,” said Hua Cheng with a toothy grin. “I got tired of waiting.” Confused, Xie Lian tilted his head to one side. Stopping in the middle of the open store floor, Hua Cheng turned a slow circle, eye searching the decimated shelves and coolers. “Wow, you musta been busy.” Xie Lian usually prided himself on the profusion and variety of flowers he kept in stock, but closing time on the busiest day of the year saw him nearly cleaned out. 

“I’m exhausted,” Xie Lian confessed. With any normal customer, he’d never have admitted it - always have to be bright and perky and indefatigable for the clientele! - but Hua Cheng wasn’t a normal customer. “But 520 day alone pays my rent for most of the year, so it’s worth it.”

“I’m sure it is,” Hua Cheng murmured. “And I’m sure you need a break, so…” A decisive nod set of a cascade of beautiful music as Hua Cheng strode to one of the coolers and pulled it open. A few bedraggled bouquets and a single bucket full of stalks of cape jasmine were all that remained within. Every year, Xie Lian stocked up on the cape jasmine, tiny white blossoms nestled in profusion amidst evergreen leaves, and every year hardly anyone bought any. Xie Lian didn’t care. They were his favorite flower, and a small indulgence, and when no one bought them, he got to take them home and put them on his dining room table and imagine impossible things while he ate dinner for one on the most romantic night of the year.

Except apparently not this year, because Hua Cheng ignored the arrangements and grabbed the entire plastic vase of jasmine.

“How much for all of these?” Hua Cheng asked, hefting the container and letting the cooler door slide shut behind him.

Could he be any more perfect?

“Oh...uh…” Catching his lip between his teeth, Xie Lian looked at the flowers, looked at Hua Cheng, looked at the darkness outside his shop window, and sighed. “...just take them. You’re a loyal customer, and it’s not like I was going to sell them to anyone else tonight. They’ll be past selling by tomorrow, so…”

“No,” replied Hua Cheng firmly. Xie Lian frowned, confusion intensifying. “Name a price.”

“But--”

“Look. There’s this person. I’ve tried everything I can think of to let them know how I feel, and nothing has worked. And I have a suspicion or three about why they won’t listen, so tonight is the night. They’re worth it, and I need them to know they’re worth it, and so I’m paying, and then I’m taking these flowers to them, and then - unless I’m devastatingly wrong about their opinion of me - we’re spending the evening together, and I’m getting them dinner, and maybe giving them a foot massage. So. Tell me how much I owe you, Xie Lian.”

No, seriously - could he be any more perfect?

Yes, he could...if I was the person he was doing all those nice things for.

Xie Lian heaved a sigh. “250 yuan,” he said. Hua Cheng lifted a suspicious eyebrow. Yeah, Xie Lian might have low-balled that number a little...a lot… “...okay, more like 400.”

“Perfect,” Hua Cheng announced. Setting the container down at his feet, he reached into a pocket, withdrew a billfold, and deliberately counted out 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 100 renminbi bills.

“Hua Ch--”

“Zip it,” Hua Cheng said, setting the money down on the counter just behind Xie Lian. Because Xie Lian was still just standing there. With his hands at his sides. Staring. And feeling sorry for himself. “I’m taking the container too.”

“That still doesn’t cost--”

Oh, but he was so tired.

“This person is worth it.”

Xie Lian struggled to keep his exhale from leaving as a forlorn sigh; it whispered from him, leaving his shoulders slumped, his mind fogged, and his chest hollow. “Alright. Have a nice night, Hua Cheng.”

“I will.” There was an inexplicable intensity to Hua Cheng’s voice, but Xie Lian didn’t want to try to understand. What he already knew hurt enough, and he knew he was being absurd. Dwelling on it would only intensify his sadness. Hua Cheng lifted the bucket of jasmine again, hugged it close with apparent indifference to the damage it might do to his expensive suit, and walked to the door. “I’ll see you soon, okay?”

“Yeah, of course,” said Xie Lian, his voice empty, his heart empty, his store empty, his life...he shook his head and followed Hua Cheng to the door. Given Hua Cheng’s burdens, Xie Lian hustled and stepped before him, opening the door so he could leave without even more difficulty. “Thanks as always for your business.”

“My business…” Hua Cheng echoed. “Is that what this is?”

Xie Lian had no idea what Hua Cheng meant.

Xie Lian refused to think about what Hua Cheng meant, as Hua Cheng stepped out of the store, and Xie Lian closed and locked the door behind him, and Xie Lian turned and stared at his barren shelves, cast in deep shadow in the low evening light.

Tomorrow, he’d be up bright and early to receive his shipments, make the day’s deliveries, run the business, do all the work of owning a florist shop himself.

Tomorrow, he’d be collected, and calm, and professional.

Today…

A single teardrop made a wet, cool line down his cheek.

...today, he was being ridiculous.

Shaking off his melancholy, Xie Lian set about shutting down. There were cases to refill, vases to wash, coolers to clean. There was work to do, so much work to do, and he lost himself in the rhythm of it, in the simple joy it brought him. Minutes passed, the evening stretching later. Outside, he could hear as celebrators walked by. There was so much joy and jollity in their voices, and brought him a sense of pride to reflect and think - he helped make the day better for many people. His flowers brought happiness to dozens, hundreds, of people.

It was enough.

His flowers brought happiness to Hua Cheng.

It was almost enough.

It was--

A knock-knock-knock startled Xie Lian as he carefully swept bits of leaf and petal into his palm after wiping the cooler interior. Tumbling to his bottom, scattering flower bits over his lap, he sat there blinking. It was probably just some doomed boyfriend or husband realizing they’d forgotten to buy their love a gift. It was probably...but he glanced toward the exterior door, and there was no one there.

Knock, knock, knock.

Uncertain, Xie Lian rose and walked toward the back of the store. The knocking grew louder the closer he drew to the receiving door, and finally, baffled, Xie Lian went to it and peered through the peekhole.

Hua Cheng stood outside, smile suave, arms embracing the container of cape jasmine branches.

Xie Lian hesitantly unlocked the door and pulled it open. “Apologies, was there something wrong with…?”

“Oh, never,” replied Hua Cheng brightly. “I just got tired of waiting. Again.”

“I don’t…um...?”

“I told you, I have someone very important I want to see tonight, and they deserve to know how much I value them.”

Hearing it again stung. Did Hua Cheng really have to rub in how special this person was to him? What did any of it have to do with Xie Lian? Why was Hua Cheng here, instead of with them? None of it made any sense, and Xie Lian didn’t want to think about it, except how could he not think, and wonder, and mourn, with Hua Cheng standing in front of him once more?

“I’m sorry...I don’t…”

Hua Cheng rolled his eye. “Unfortunately, he’s not always the most observant individual, but I forgive him for that. To tell you the truth,” Hua Cheng whispered, leaning forward conspiratorially, “I’d forgive him anything.”

Wait.

Was Hua Cheng implying…

Don’t think about it.

“Huh?” asked Xie Lian.

...but it almost sounds like...

With a hearty, gorgeous laugh that set flower bucket water sloshing to the ground, Hua Cheng threw his head back. “They’re for you, Xie Lian,” he managed between gales. “They’re your favorite, right?” 

Oh.

Oh...oh, wow.

No...it couldn’t be.

“Huh?!”

Setting the container of flowers down beside the door, Hua Cheng withdrew one stalk, length heavily bowed with tiny white blossoms, and held it out for Xie Lian to take. Too tired, too bemused, too drunk on nascent hope to decline, Xie Lian took it. 

“I couldn’t exactly ask you out while you were on the clock,” Hua Cheng explained. “For a long time, I thought I’d been so clear about my interest, and that surely you’d pick up on it and, if you were interested, respond in kind. But even though you flirted back, you never, ever did, and I started to wonder...I was pretty depressed about it for a while there…”

“...you stopped coming for a few months…” murmured Xie Lian.

“Yup, exactly - then. But I couldn’t stay away, and when I returned you were so happy to see me, and I couldn’t believe I’d misread your mutual interest so completely. And then it occurred to me...what if it wasn’t your interest I’d misread, but...you?”

“Me?”

“You’re so quiet.” Hua Cheng’s voice was fond, his expression gentle, and he reached out with a hand to cup Xie Lian’s chin. “You’re so kind.” The red string tied around Hua Cheng’s finger brushed Xie Lian’s cheek. “You’re so self-effacing.” The feel of it was familiar, and Xie Lian finally recognized it - it was one of his strings, from the store, the ones he used to tie bouquets. “You would never presume that I’d be more interested in you than in the flowers you sold.” Hua Cheng was wearing it like jewelry. “Not that I don’t love flowers - I do, truly.” That was so… “Almost as much as I love you.”

...so…

...wait, what?

“Hua Cheng,” Xie Lian breathed, heart in his throat, tears in his eyes. 

“Will you go out with me tonight, A-Lian?” asked Hua Cheng, deep and rich and gloriously sincere.

Xie Lian opened his mouth, closed it, opened it, closed it, blinked away tears, and then smiled. “I guess it depends,” he said with a grin.

It was gratifying to see Hua Cheng look a fraction as confused as Xie Lian had felt most of the evening. “On what?”

“...did you mean what you said earlier?”

“Every word.”

“Even the part about the foot massage?”

“Especially the part about the foot massage!” said Hua Cheng. “When was the last time you sat down?”

“I don’t even remember,” Xie Lian admitted. “It’s been a long day.”

“I know, A-Lian.” Sliding a hand down Xie Lian’s neck, along his shoulder, and down his arm, Hua Cheng took Xie Lian’s hand in his own, clasped both their fingers around the jasmine stem, raised it to his lips, and gave it a gentle kiss. Jasmine petals rained down between them like spring rain. “So I hope you’ll forgive me for making it even longer.”

“Oh, Hua Cheng…” Joy bursting through his heart, Xie Lian allowed Hua Cheng to gently tug him out the back and pull the door closed behind them. “...A-Cheng…” The soothing scent of jasmine flowers filled the alley. “I’d forgive you anything.”

“Anything, anything?”

“Anything, anything,” Xie Lian confirmed. “Though--”

“Knew there’d be a catch.”

“--I’d appreciate if I could go home and change before dinner?”

“...that’s fair. Should I wait for you here?” asked Hua Cheng with a gesture to the narrow, dirty alley.

“Why don’t you walk me back?” Xie Lian suggested.

“Not nervous about inviting a strange man back to your place?” Hua Cheng teased.

“I think only a strange man would want to come back to my place…”

“As I suspected - you sell yourself far too short.”

“Then aren’t I lucky to have you to tell me your worth?” 

I do have you, right? You really think…

“You are,” Hua Cheng replied, unhesitating and firm. “And I will.”

...you really do.

“Wow.”

I was right.

“You’re worth everything to me, A-Lian.”

He really is so perfect...

“And you, to me.”

...we’re really perfect.

And, hand-in-hand, in a cloud of cape jasmine blossoms and a choir of chimes, they walked toward Xie Lian’s apartment.

Together.

[sleeplesscenarios]

Jealousy is a Bitch

Characters/pairings: FengQing (background HuaLian)

Genre: fluff and fun with a hint of jealousy

Word count: 3117

Summary: Mu Qing has a new friend. Feng Xin is suspicious. Xie Lian is giving out advices while sipping tea. Hua Cheng is annoyed. Feng Xin and Mu Qing realize that no matter what, the both of them are just big idiots whose love language is fighting.

“And then do you know what they fucking said?” Feng Xin’s aggravated tone echoed all around the room of the freshly renovated Puqi shrine.

Xie Lian, put his teacup down and patiently asked, “What did they say?”

“Those assholes had the nerve to say that I’m overreacting and there’s nothing wrong with General Xuan Zhen having a new friend. I swear I’m not going to help them the next time a ghost tries to eat them.”

“You’re kind of overreacting, though,” Hua Cheng commented, sounding extremely bored and mild annoyed after having to listen to Feng Xin’s problems for so long.

“Shut the fuck up, I’m talking to His Highness, not you!”

Xie Lian cut in before those two could have continued arguing.  

“Feng Xin, what exactly is bothering you about this new friend of Mu Qing?”

“Can’t you see it, Your Highness? We’re talking about that Mu Qing! He’s the opposite of friendly, how could he suddenly get so close with that guy? Something isn’t right about this!”

“I mean... I agree that it’s unusual but even he could have a friend or two.”

“He already-” Feng Xin stopped himself, sighing and demolishing the ridiculous he already has me, he doesn’t need anyone else thought that was threatening to slip out of his lips. “Anyways, I’m telling you that something is fishy about that guy.”

Hua Cheng spoke up again, “So, what are you going to do about it?”

“What do you mean?”

“You came here to bother us because you’re worried about your crush leaving you for someone better, didn’t you? So I’m asking what you’re planning to do. Don’t tell me that you’re just going to whine to His Highness and then sulk in a corner.”

The eyes of Feng Xin twitched, “Your Highness, can I punch him just once?”

“I’m afraid that if I let you punch him; I would have to let him fight back too. And if San Lang beats you up, who would make sure Mu Qing’s new friend is harmless?”

“I hate the both of you.”

With that, Feng Xin burst out of the door, slamming it behind his back.

“Tch, gege is kindly giving him advice and he’s not even thankful...”

Xie Lian poured fresh tea for both Hua Cheng and himself. “Well, I’m sure he took the advice to his heart.”

Hua Cheng raised his brow. “Do you really think so?”  

“He didn’t deny that he has a crush on Mu Qing, did he?” Xie Lian smiled and took a sip of his tea.

*****

Feng Xin was so angry that the passing heavenly officials swore they could see steam coming out of his ears. That damned Crimson Rain Sought Flower! How dare he?! Assuming ridiculous things! He does not have a crush on Mu Qing!

Who would even have a crush on someone as boring, apathetic and hostile?!

Not Feng Xin.

Definitely not Feng Xin.

He merely visited out of worry and suspicion. But if nobody was willing to listen to him then so be it!  

“Don’t come begging to me for help when things go wrong!” Feng Xin yelled at nothing in particular and stormed into his golden palace. He passed several alerted subordinates before arriving to his bedroom where he slammed the door shut and punched the wall for good measure.

This was ridiculous.

Everything started a few months ago when the Heavens shook signaling that somebody ascended. The brand-new heavenly official was called Mo Huan and he was a martial god. Apparently, he came from the southern territories and after defeating fearful demons and selflessly protecting the mountain village where he lived, he passed a heavenly calamity and ascended. He seemed like a common little martial god, nothing too special.

Feng Xin would have never bothered to spare more than a glance to newcomers of his kind and so did Mu Qing however, this particular newcomer obviously had other plans. From the first day, he expressed great interest in General Xuan Zhen in particular. He kept babbling on and on about how he’d always visited his temples in the mortal world and that if he ever ascended, he wanted to meet him first. As expected, Mu Qing listened to him indifferently then walked off. Nothing out of the ordinary.

What was out of the ordinary was that from this day onward, Mo Huan kept following Mu Qing around like an enthusiastic puppy, claiming that he wanted to learn from him. Feng Xin expected for Mu Qing to roll his eyes and tell him off but instead what he said was, “Do as you wish.”

And thus, the suspicious friendship between the newly ascended little marital god, Mo Huan and the god of southwest, General Xuan Zhen began. At the same time, the god of the southeast, General Nan Feng’s misery of watching while seething in jealousy also began.

After the battle with the ex-Heavenly Emperor, the relationship between Feng Xin, Mu Qing and Xie Lian gradually started improving. Even without the supervision of Xie Lian, Feng Xin and Mu Qing were not always at each other’s throat. Of course, saying that they argued less would be a stretch, but instead of threatening to kill each other every time they got into an argument changed into merely fighting with words. After a year or two, the missions they took together had also increased and they found that their teamwork was actually very good so they didn’t oppose too much when they had to share the merits. They’d slowly come to realize that going together just meant that they would be able to finish earlier.  

Soon, the public relationship between the two generals wasn’t that of two generals fighting for dominance over the southern region but that of two generals guarding the southern region together.

They were almost something like partners.

And maybe, just maybe Feng Xin started to quite enjoy the company of his partner.

And now it was getting stolen away.

By that suspicious, shady asshole.

Whatever!

If Mu Qing would rather hang around that newbie, Feng Xin wouldn’t stop him. If Mu Qing was too stupid to realize that there’s something wrong with that guy, Feng Xin wouldn’t care.

*****

“I definitely do not care, I’m just giving a last warning,” Feng Xin muttered to himself while pacing in front of Mu Qing’s golden palace. “If he still won’t listen, he can die for all I care.”

Steeling his resolve and organizing his thoughts, he turned to the door, raised his hand and-

The door opened before him as Mu Qing stepped out. Their gazes met for a moment, and both of their eyes widened in surprise.

Mu Qing collected himself first, asking as he closed the door behind him, “What do you want?”

“Be careful with that new guy. He’s definitely scheming something,” Feng Xin stated. Mu Qing rolled his eyes and Feng Xin could feel the irritation growing in himself again. “I’m warning you for your sake!”

“Don’t you think that I would notice if he was ‘scheming’ something?”

“W-well... maybe you’re being a dumbass and he deceived you!”

Mu Qing’s brows twitched. “Yeah? If you’re done with calling me a dumbass then I’m going. I have a mission with him.”

Feng Xin’s entire face turned red from anger, frustration and a sense of betrayal. It was a well-known fact in the Heavenly Capital that General Xuan Zhen never ever goes on missions together with someone. He’d always been working alone. He’d only ever joined hands with Feng Xin, claiming that it’s only because their territories are very close and it’s unavoidable. Now he was saying that he was about to go on a joint mission together with that shady newbie who kept sucking up to him?  

“What’s so good about him anyways...” Feng Xin muttered through gritted teeth, a second away from exploding.

“Well for starters, he’s a lot less annoying than you.” Mu Qing turned his head to flash him a taunting smirk before leaving, his grin widening as he heard the string of curses flying from Feng Xin’s mouth.

*****

Of course, Mu Qing knew that Mo Huan wasn’t hanging around him out of the pure goodness of his heart. He had been a god for more than 800 years now. He wasn’t that easy to fool. Some might call him the most unapproachable man, why would he blindly trust someone after a bit of flattery?  

Feng Xin was truly the most annoying out of all. Mu Qing didn’t trust him for a whole 800 years, why would he ever begin to think that he’d lost all sense of reason for this new guy? Was he out of his mind?  

In any case, as the saying goes: keep your friends close and keep your enemies even closer. He would find out what Mo Huan wanted from him and deal with it himself. In the meantime, he might as well entertain himself with watching Feng Xin lose his mind over it.  

However, what Mu Qing didn’t expect was that after that warning last time, he wouldn’t be able to see Feng Xin lose his mind and flap around in frustration anymore.

*****

“And then do you know what he fucking did?”

Xie Lian took a sip of his tea as he listened to Mu Qing, feeling a strange sense of déjà vu wash over him. “What did he do?”

“He slammed the door against my face! What the fuck?” Mu Qing slammed his own teacup harshly down on the table, spilling its contents.

Hua Cheng shot him a glare, daring him to waste even a drop of the tea His Highness generously gave him. Xie Lian quickly interjected to dissolve the tense atmosphere.

“And what happened to this new martial god?”

“What do you think happened? I knocked him out. Fucking bastard, trying to steal my merits.”

“If I recall, something similar happened before, didn’t it?”

Mu Qing snorted, “It’s the third time this century. These newly ascended brats have no shame, I swear. That’s not the point. The point is that dumbass Feng Xin is throwing a temper tantrum again and if he keeps at it, I’m gonna smash down his golden palace. What the fuck is even wrong with him?”

Xie Lian and Hua Cheng shared a look.

Xie Lian nodded.

“So, what are you going to do about it?” Hua Cheng asked.

“What does it have to do with you?” Mu Qing glared.

“Gege, can I punch him just once?”

“Come at me, you bastard!”

“No fighting in my shrine.”

The two of them kept glaring daggers at each other but otherwise didn’t do anything. Finally, Hua Cheng sighed, “You came here to bother us because you’re worried about your crush refusing to talk to you, didn’t you? So I’m asking what you’re planning to do. Don’t tell me that you’re just going to whine to His Highness and then sulk in a corner.”

“None of your business, I’m leaving,” Mu Qing downed the remaining of his tea in one gulp, angrily slammed down the cup again and stormed out of Puqi Shrine.

Hua Cheng grinned. “I can’t believe this actually worked.”

“He didn’t deny that he has a crush on Feng Xin, either,” Xie Lian chuckled then poured another cup of tea for himself and Hua Cheng.

*****

Mu Qing rammed his fist on the door of Feng Xin’s golden palace, yelling, “Open up, you bastard!”

Crushing the whole thing down was a last resort but if anyone doubted that he would dare to do it, they were horribly wrong. Feng Xin had three more minutes left before his beautiful palace became one with the ground.

Who did he think he was? Giving unneeded advice, taking Mu Qing for a naïve fool then refusing to see him and sulking. It was way too unreasonable even for someone as stupid as Feng Xin. Just what the hell was wrong with him? Fucking dumbass making him think about him and worry. He totally deserved having his door bust down.  

“What are you doing here?” Feng Xin’s voice came from behind and Mu Qing turned around as fast as a strike of lightning.  

Turns out Feng Xin wasn’t home…  

In any case, Mu Qing stomped his way over and unceremoniously punched him in the face.  

Feng Xin flew a few meters back but it only took him a second to jump up to his feet and yell, “What the fuck was that you bastard?! Did you finally go insane?!”

Mu Qing caught up to him and grabbed him by the collar of his robe with two hands. “It’s the least you deserved, you shithead! Try avoiding me again and I’ll beat up your sorry ass!”

Feng Xin looked away and spat through gritted teeth, “You didn’t seem like you need my company…”

“What?” The rusty clogs in Mu Qing’s brain turned around and around before a light bulb suddenly lit up. The fists around Feng Xin’s robe loosened and his eyes widened. “Don’t tell me you’re jealous…”

Feng Xin’s cheeks reddened and his voice faltered for a second. It was only a minuscule gesture but it was more than enough for Mu Qing. “W-why would I be jealous?!”

“Are you scared of me replacing you with the newbie?” he taunted.  

“Fuck you, I don’t care who you’re hanging out with.”

“If you don’t care then why are you avoiding me?”

“Because I don’t want to see your stupid face!”

“What if I want to see your stupid face?”  

“What?”

Feng Xin saw a flicker of light passing through Mu Qing’s dark eyes and in the next moment, he felt a pair of lips press firmly against his own. His mind was wiped clear in that second and he only regained his senses when the absence of the warm lips left him with a sense of need.  

“W-w-w-what the fuck was this??”  

“A kiss, idiot,” Mu Qing rolled his eyes.  

“I’m asking why you k-k-kissed me?”

“Isn’t that obvious?”

“Fuck, Mu Qing would it kill you if you used your words for once?”

“Would it kill you if you used your brain for once?”

“…”

Mu Qing sighed, “Anyways, you don’t have to worry about Mo Huan anymore so stop avoiding me.”

“What happened?” Feng Xin got successfully side tracked. His brain was really too simple.

“Left him in a forest in the mortal world after beating him up,” Mu Qing shrugged, his grin reappearing by the sight of Feng Xin’s gaping. “What, I told you I can deal with him myself.”

“But weren’t you guys getting along? You said he’s less annoying than me?”

“Feng Xin, literally everyone is less annoying than you.”  

“F-“  

“But at least you’re not insufferable…” This time, it was Mu Qing’s turn to look away as a blush crept up on his face.

Feng Xin stared at him, completely dumbfounded before his cheeks also took on a pink hue as he slowly realized that this, in fact, was the nicest thing Mu Qing had ever said to him. He couldn’t stop his heart from fluttering.

“What’s the stupid grin for?”  

Feng Xin quickly cleared his throat and muttered a “nothing” but for some reason, he couldn’t quite wipe the smile spreading on his face even wider. In the end, Mu Qing’s embarrassment got the better of him and he promptly decided to leave.

Seeing his retreating back, Feng Xin collected himself and jogged up to him, saying, “No need to be embarrassed, I like you too.”

“Shut up.”

Feng Xin followed Mu Qing back to his golden palace.  

“Do you really like me, though? I mean... you don’t really... like people...” Feng Xin said, closing the door behind himself and meeting Mu Qing’s glare head on.

“You know what, I don’t really mind if you ignore me. Get out of my palace.”

“No way, you already kissed me.”

“So what?”

“So there’s no turning back. Finish what you stared.”

“It was you who started by being stupid and jealous.”

“That’s not the point.”

Mu Qing felt a headache coming up. “That’s exactly the point. You were a jealous sulking little bitch instead of using your nonexistent brain to figure out that I’m not a dumb 10 years old who’s so easy to fool.”

“Who are you calling a sulking little bitch?” Feng Xin’s short fuse was once again ignited.  

“Do you see anyone else here? Are you not only brainless but also blind?”

“Shut the fuck up!”

A glint flashed in Mu Qing’s eyes. Arguing with this man was really the best thing in his life. It was fun, it was interesting to examine his reactions and the way his expression changed, it kept him on his toes, it made him feel excitement instead of apathy and disgust. Above everything, it was comfortable. The two of them had been at it for more than 800 years without a break, they knew every single one of the other’s buttons to push. They were on the same level so neither of them got hurt and even if it escalated to a fight, they could just fight it out and release stress without having to worry about gravely injuring their opponent. For Mu Qing, Feng Xin was just the perfect partner.  

So when Feng Xin told him to shut the fuck up, he only smirked and said two words, “Make me.”

And as if it was all according to a script, Feng Xin grabbed him by the collar and smashed their lips together. The kiss was messy, their teeth were clashing but it was filled with unsaid passion and a weird sense of comfort.

It was only then that they could confirm what they had begun to feel already.

They’re feeling the same for each other.

They’re dealing with those feelings in a similar way.

They finally understand each other without words, and they could understand the hidden meaning behind each word.

That whatever they had to give, the other would accept it readily.

That they were equals.

*****

“Gege, they started making out,” Hua Cheng reached out a hand to show Xie Lian the image the wraith butterfly displayed. Xie Lian stared at it for second before smiling.

“It was time.”

Hua Cheng quickly dismissed the butterfly and pulled Xie Lian into his arms. “Gege’s so kind and patient for helping those two fools, they don’t deserve you.”

“I didn’t do anything. If anything, it was you who gave them a little push.” Xie Lian’s eyes sparkled with fondness. “So, that means you’re kinder and more patient than me.”

“...” Left speechless and embarrassed, Hua Cheng opted for capturing Xie Lian’s lips, feeling quite content with how everything turned out.

[mirai-eats]

To Return

Hualian, 3,369 words, rated G, complete

Forest Guardian AU, Fairytale Elements

There is a forest far beyond the horizon where a fallen prince is tied to its ancient roots. 

read on AO3

Once upon a time, a prince of a faraway land tried to save his people from death and disease with his own hands. One man could only do so much, and as the war wore on and the death toll rose to the thousands, he pleaded up to the heavens for help. The gods turned their backs on him and he desperately sought help on earth where he was scorned, then down to the demons of cold hell.

They wanted a life for lives. No, not his life, they said, he was too willing. They wanted those most precious to him. He turned away and didn’t look back.

A figure of neither heaven nor hell, moral nor immoral, found the prince and said he could help him bring the war to an end and cure for the plague. Skeptically, the prince asked for what they wanted in return.

“Your life for me to do as I please.”

The selfless prince agreed too quickly and watched the war tumble to a halt with an overwhelming victory to the rebels where they usurped him from his throne and scattered his riches and reputation into the jeering air. The plague tapered off with no more lives to kill, the king and queen its last victims. 

With nothing left, not even a name, he was grabbed by the hand and pulled away by the immoral moral person. “I’ve fulfilled my end of the bargain, now you must complete your part.”

“You did not fulfill anything!” the prince retorted.

“I ended the war, I ended the plague, now all that’s left is to take your life.”

The prince, an honest man, could do nothing but follow the immoral moral person through high planes and forests, over icy mountain peaks and dipping valleys, across rivers and seas, and finally, from beyond a desert pass, laid a glittering forest steeped with age and might. 

“Stay here and protect it,” said the immoral moral person. “This is your new home.”

The prince’s life was tied to the roots of the trees, a leash upon his snowy neck, and told to sit and watch the tree line until they died. Only then may he be free. 

This is what Hua Cheng was told, in the painted breath of storytellers and awed shouts of children. In the name of the prince, he had become a shadow of a man, his soul tied not to his body due to a pact he dealt with a god of the underworld to keep him alive long enough to find the prince. It had been so long, his kingdom buried in time, the story of the prince who tried to save his people was the only memory of its former glory. 

No one believed it to be true anymore. It was nothing more than a simple fairytale to warn children from trying to play god. 

Hua Cheng was as old as the trees and knew it to be true. It’s been so long even his own memory was clouded, but he knew the path well and has been seeking out the glittering forest for almost a millennia. 

Weary in his ageless body, he stumbled into another forest with trees that touched the heavens and the leaves that draped the ground with whispers of its magic. It was dead silent, not a bird to be heard nor a squirrel to be seen. Hua Cheng took in a deep, steadying breath full of early autumn chill and felt his bones sag with misery. 

He took a step into the treeline and felt a zing of something. It shot through his body with a shudder and he felt this might actually be it. But where were the glittering trees?

The moment he was submerged fully into the trees it felt as if the world was muted, a soundless bubble trapped the forest in a timeless loop of silence. Every step he made reverberated loudly up into the trees, his breath too loud in his ears. The trees were leering over him, its green to orange leaf-covered fingers ached to grab him. He placed his hand on the hilt of his scimitar. His chest was full of ice, his ears pounded to the rhythm of his racing heart.

A low, breathy hiss broke the pressing quiet. Hua Cheng jolted and looked over where the sound was coming from. There was something scrabbling at the base of a tree, the leaves stirred up from its frantic movements. He snuck closer, light on his feet as not to alert whatever was doing that. 

Stuck amongst the foliage was a snow-white ferret with wide, dark eyes scrambling around amongst, hisses pulled from its sharp teeth and its hind leg trapped and twisted through a withering hydrangea bush and the gnarled roots of the tree. 

He tutted and reached out to help shift the branches away and received a sharp hiss and sharper claws. He jerked back and cradled his wounded hand. The cut wasn’t that deep; three shallow lines marred the side of his hand and oozed steadily, but that was nothing compared to past wounds. 

“Little ferret, let me help you,” he said softly. 

The ferret seemed to have understood him and froze, its starless gaze fixed upon Hua Cheng. He gently reached over, wary of its teeth and claws, and tugged the branch back enough for the ferret to leap free. It scampered off amongst the trees, the flick of its black-tipped tail the last thing he saw. He stood and licked the blood off his hand then wiped it on the side of his trousers. The bleeding had already stopped. 

From then on, as he wound through the pathless forest every once in a while he would catch a glimpse of white and the sound of something scuttling amongst the leaves. 

He didn’t travel far. In fact, he was pretty sure despite walking relatively straight he had been going in a circle. The dying hydrangea bush, the color rotted away from its petals long ago, remained a landmark he’d passed not twice but four times. The heavy air weighed on him like a wet blanket, chilled and muted to the outside world. There was a spell on the entrance that would turn unwelcome guests away. 

“How do I get into the forest?” He asked aloud, his voice breaking the din of nothing. 

“You can,” a voice answered him.

From behind a large maple tree emerged a man dressed in snow-white, his face veiled off from under a weimao hat traced with fragrant jasmine flowers, his voice rang like clear bellflowers. He stood atop a mound and looked down upon Hua Cheng like a god on his alter. 

“What do I do to gain entry?” Hua Cheng asked.

“You have,” the man said. He bowed his head, the pale curtain fluttering with the subtle movement. “I tested you, and you passed, and now you have found the door to this realm and picked the lock open. I stand here at the doorway ready to let you in, but only if you can tell me one thing.”

Hua Cheng nodded, his jaw set in determination. 

“Why have you wandered so far to this forest? There are no riches nor strange creatures lurking in the trees, nor are there friends to see. No path leads to here or through. Are you lost?”

“No, I believe I’m exactly where I need to be.”

The man froze, still as the ancient trees circling them. “Why have you sought out this forest?”

“You said one thing,” Hua Cheng noted.

The man hummed. “I guess you are right. Very well, come on in.”

With a turn and a flutter of his expansive sleeves and pale veil, the very land seemed to transform around them. The trees stood taller, arching toward the heavens, and the air was filled with clicking and chirping of its habitants. A swallowtail butterfly fluttered by, dancing along his line of sight. The ground grew greener, the smell of pine and dirt filled the breathless air with color. It was as if life was splashed down upon the forest. 

The man was walking ahead, down a clearly worn path that wounded through the trees. He paused at a bend and turned, the veil lifting slightly in the sweet breeze just enough to see inky black circling his neck and pale lips saying, “Come along.”

He scrambled up the ledge the man had been perched upon and down along the path to where the man waited. Once he was upon him he turned and continued walking, the air starkly warmer in the forest the man unlocked for him. 

“You were the ferret.” It wasn’t a question, but he needed to confirm.

“I am the ferret, yes,” the man said. “My apologies for scratching you, I needed to be sure you wouldn’t try to harm or abandon me.”

“How often are you saved?”

“Never.”

Hua Cheng’s heart ached. “Does this mean I am the first to be let in?”

“Yes.” The man suddenly stopped and turned. “Would you like to see something wonderful?”

“Of course.”

The man took him everywhere, to a cliffside that overlooked the whole of the forest where the verdant green were traced with golden orange and the sky was an arching silver, to the small birds’ nests full of smooth eggs. Tumbling waterfalls of crystal tears trailing the rockface, and meadows of whispering cornflowers, daisies, cosmos, and so many more he couldn’t name, but they smelled so sweet and left his head light with their tender touch. There were families of deer where the man sat amongst tracing their delicate heads with gentle fingers, while wild bears trodded along the shores of the river rapids. The forest fed them fruit and roots, Hua Cheng not daring to suggest roasting one of the rabbits for a meal to the gentle man. He saw how tenderly he had held a mockingbird in his hand, singing a tune along with her sweet song; there was no way he could hurt a single life. 

“I have a question,” Hua Cheng said after their meal, the sun dripping gold over them, the trees’ shadows lengthened with the fading day. “Is this what they call the glittering forest?”

“I suppose so, yes,” the man said. Hua Cheng felt his heart lurch, gripping his apple core hard enough for the juice to spill down his wrist.

“May I have your name?” he asked, his voice straining past his racing heart. 

“Hm, I haven’t had a name in a very long time,” the man said. He bowed his head and continued, “My apologies, I have nothing to give you.”

“Xie Lian…” Hua Cheng breathed. “The guardian of the glittering forest, a prince lost in time. I am looking for him and you...”

The man, Xie Lian maybe, froze. “That… could be me. I’m not sure, it’s been so long my memories are nothing more than mist. You may call me as such. But what may I call you?”

“I am the third son, so you can call me San Lang,” Hua Cheng said. “If you are unsure of your name, may I call you gege?”

Gege tipped his head with a nod, the veil swaying to and fro. “You may.”

Hope’s seed which had been planted when he’d first stumbled into the forest tentatively grew a green shoot, buds of an unknown flower were ripe and green on its delicate stems. He didn’t want to nourish this small, budding thought if it would once again lead to him ripping it out from its delicate roots. 

They finished their food and gege took him someplace to rest for the night. Stars were tracing the horizon, and with the sun gone, the moon hung low and bright, a silver crescent amongst the deep blue. 

“I do not have a home for you to seek shelter in,” gege said. “This tree is firm and reliable, surviving many a storm and snow.” He patted the trunk of an ancient pine. “You may rest here for the night; tomorrow I can show you the creek which has the most delicious blackberries along its shores and the nest of foxes that reside a little south.”

“Where will gege sleep?” Hua Cheng asked.

“Ah, my home is here.” He pointed to a tree stump, hollowed out with jagged edges. The tree that it felled laid intertwined with the ground.

“Did gege fell that tree?” he teased. 

“It-it was an accident.” Hua Cheng could almost see a blush on gege’s cheeks. “Sleep well, San Lang. I will see you with the sun.”

With another flourish of his expansive sleeves and pale veil, his figure morphed into that of the white ferret with a black-tipped tail. With a chatter, he climbed into the tree stump and curled up at the bottom with a sigh. 

“Good night, gege,” he said softly and climbed up the tree and found a sturdy branch to lay across and fell asleep almost instantly.

He awoke when the moon was high above his head to voices talking. He leaned over carefully and peaked down between the branches to see gege, glowing white in the pale moonlight speaking softly to a man in front of him draped in imperial armor and radiating his own light.

“-but the treasure, Jun Wu,” gege was saying.

“You don’t need to worry about it,” the man, Jun Wu, said. This, Hua Cheng realized, was the Jun Wu, the emperor god of the heavens. “I must be going now, I only wanted to see how you were doing.”

“... Can you tell me…” gege hesitated, “What was… my name?”

Jun Wu seemed to soften at his words. “Never you mind that, you haven’t needed one and I dare say you won’t ever need one.”

Hua Cheng seethed from his perch. It took everything not to jump down and punch the daylight out of Jun Wu, a god of heaven or not. 

Gege only nodded. “I see. Have a good evening, then.” With a flash of light, Jun Wu was gone. Gege sighed and shrunk back into a ferret, but didn’t crawl back right away, only simply sat on the forest floor. 

“Gege,” Hua Cheng spoke up. Gege looked up, his beady little eyes fixed to where Hua Cheng was hidden amongst the branches. 

“How much did you hear?” Gege’s sweet voice echoed in his head. 

“Only the end, my apologies I didn’t mean to eavesdrop.” 

“You’re fine, San Lang.” He still sat on the ground as a ferret, his back arched and rounded like a small hill. With an audible huff, he laid down and stretched out, his head rested in front of his paws. 

“Won’t you go to bed, gege?”

“Soon.”

Hua Cheng pursed his lips and decidedly climbed down. gege raised his furry head to watch him descend and sit down next to him with his back leaning against the tree. “I will sit with you then,”

“There is no need,” gege argued. “San Lang should get his rest.”

“I won’t be able to rest knowing you’re not,” Hua Cheng said stubbornly. 

With a chitter, gege changed back into his human self sitting next to Hua Cheng, the length of his veil practically obscuring his whole body. 

Curiosity itched his skin, his hands twitched to where gege was sitting so close to him he could feel the gentle warmth of his body. 

“Gege, may I…” his throat closed up. “If you feel comfortable, may I see your face?”

Under the shadow of the moon, gege was a ghost. He couldn’t see the trace of his jaw or the slight pull of his lips like he could in the daylight. Hua Cheng could not gauge a reaction from him.

“You may,” gege said. 

With bated breath, Hua Cheng reached up and pulled aside the curtain, his hands visibly shaking and he hoped gege didn’t see. The smooth parting of the light-as-air veil seemed to take another millennium before he could see his face. His breathing stopped.  

Hair rich like mahogany framed a snowy face Hua Cheng would never forget. Dark eyes and a slim nose with pale lips set to a peerlessly beautiful face that had been painted over and over. His throat was traced with an inky cuff that marred his marble skin, a leash to tie him down. How could he ever forget the prince’s face? So kind and open, but its unshakable confidence whittled down to a humble shell. 

“Dianxia,” Hua Cheng breathed. “Xie Lian, I’ve been looking everywhere for you.” 

“Xie Lian? That was the name you spoke of before,” Xie Lian’s smooth brow furrowed. Hua Cheng finally pulled his hands away from his weimao but leaned in close to drink in the face he hadn’t seen in so, so long. “Am I the one you seek?”

“You are, you are.” Hua Cheng let out a breathless laugh. “Dianxia, my prince, I’ve finally found you.” The children’s tales and storyteller rhymes were suddenly made true right before his eyes. 

“I am?”

“You are!” He wanted to leap and bound with joy. He’s found him at long last, the only one who had ever mattered in Hua Cheng’s own immortal life. “Xie Lian, your name is Xie Lian, you are a prince of the people who was made wrong. You… you saved me, and I swore to find you and serve you once more.”

“I am…” as if a candle was lit inside his heart, Xie Lian rose to his feet and removed his weimao, the moon seemed to glow from within him and the stars danced around him. The forest was glittering! Hundreds and hundreds of little flecks of light seemed to emerge from the foilage and dance to an unheard rhythm. Fireflies, Hua Cheng realized.

“Oh,” Xie Lian said softly. “They’ve been gone for so long, faded with my memory and my name.” 

Hua Cheng rose to his feet and watched the fireflies sparkle and dip and twirl across the green fern, pale leaves, and budded flowers left to sleep under the blanket of night. 

“My life is tied to the forest,” Xie Lian said. “I am no longer a prince with a kingdom to rule. Xian Le fell along with my soul.”

“May this humble servant beg of Dianxia to stay by his side?” Hua Cheng took Xie Lian’s hand and knelt to the ground, his other hand placed over his heart and bowed his head as he, a humble servant, should.

“You- I don’t know if you can stay here. I’ve never had anyone here except the life that already lives amongst it,” Xie Lian stuttered. “And I am no longer a prince, there is no need for a servant of any sorts.”

“How about a companion, a friend, even?” Hua Cheng raised his head to look up at his prince framed in the night sky and waltzing stars. 

“A companion would be very nice. Please.” Xie Lian gently clasped Hua Cheng’s hand between his own- Hua Cheng’s heart leaped- and pulled him up to stand equally. “Don’t kneel, I’m not worth kneeling for anymore.”

“May I bestow a gift to you?” Hua Cheng asked eagerly. He traced a finger to the leather pouch hanging from his neck. 

“So soon? San Lang we only just became friends.”

“And to celebrate our newfound friendship.” Hua Cheng pulled the pouch over his head and opened the small thing to show the contents to Xie Lian. He leaned forward, his breath a warm whisper over his chilled hands. 

“Oh San Lang, it’s beautiful,” Xie Lian sighed. Inside was a brilliant coral pearl, the red so rich only the brightest cardinal and richest rose could compare in color. It pulsed softly with light. 

“Keep it, it was once yours and now I will return it to you.” Hua Cheng tenderly placed it in Xie Lian’s hand and took his other hand to cup the satchel, his hands caressing Xie Lian’s holding what he held dearest. 

“Will you really stay with me, San Lang?” He looked up at Hua Cheng with wide, hopeful eyes.

He could never deny him. “I will never leave your side, gege.”