#this is wildly self indulgent but i love protective cxs

[falling-star-cygnus]

so like- we know nothing about Lu Guang's parents, right? -> and he only ever loops back to the moment he meets Cheng Xiaoshi, never before. there's gotta be a reason for that, right???

Qiao Ling: We've never met Lu Guang's parents, but judging from Lu Guang, we think it's safe to assume that they're- Cheng Xiaoshi: and this is nothing against Lu Guang, we love Lu Guang Qiao Ling: -monstrously stupid sewer people.

getting this out before canon totally breaks it TTwTT -> based off my theory that Lu Guang inherited his powers

"Welcome i-"

Cheng Xiaoshi barely gets through the greeting before a floof of white hair is shoving it's way behind him.

He blinks.

Lu Guang had gone out maaaybe ten minutes ago to take a walk.. clear his head, for once, because he was getting finicky. Which was understandable, Cheng Xiaoshi wouldn't want to stay cooped up in the same place he had gotten stabbed either.

But now he was plastered against the dark haired boy's back like it was a barricade in war.

And shaking.

"Lu Guang...?"

"Don't-"

Pressed back to back like this, Cheng Xiaoshi could feel nearly every notch in his fair roommate's spine- every hitch in breath, every shudder. Lu Guang was scared.

He finds himself swallowing, and adjusting just enough that his frame nonchalantly blocks his friend from the windows.

"Is somebody chasing you?" Cheng Xiaoshi asks, keeping his voice low as he cleans a lens.

Lu Guang shakes his head, hands pressed against his mouth.

Their greeting cat meows out its welcome.

"..uh-! Hello, welcome in..." again, the dark haired boy finds his words cut short as he takes in who's entered.

A woman, with cold kitten grey eyes.

"Is there anything I can help you with?"

She sniffs, in an uppercrust- haughty sorta way, "Did you see a boy pass by here? Or did he come in?"

"I see.. a lot of people pass by all the time," the photographer hedges, keeping his tone friendly, "The- windows are pretty large."

"Did anybody come in?"

Well that was an entitled tone.

"Just you, lady."

Lu Guang flinches against his back.

"Ma'am," the woman corrects, her nose scrunched like she smelled something foul, "Honestly, how rude. Didn't your parents teach you manners?"

Ohh.

So she was a bit-

"They weren't around much." he says instead, before adding, "Ma'am."

Surprisingly, that makes her cold features soften. Just a tad, but the hard crease in her brows relaxes into something like pity.

"Oh, you poor thing." she simpers, coming closer to the counter, "Children should never be without their parents. You know- my boy had to live without his father."

Her boy?

Cheng Xiaoshi chances a glance over his shoulder, to where Lu Guang had frozen against his back. The dark haired boy didn't even think he was breathing anymore.

He pockets that little tidbit of paternal information for later.

"Oh, it was so sad. I miss my husband every day... but it couldn't be helped. It was his fault, you see."

...what?

"I'm... sorry?"

"Hm? Oh don't be, it was years ago."

"No- uh," Cheng Xiaoshi shakes his head, putting his lens down on the counter, "The- what do you mean his fault? If- if it's not too intrusive to ask, ma'am."

He was... around 90% sure she was talking about Lu Guang.

But that didn't make any sense.

"Awh, so polite all of a sudden!" he was really starting to not like her, "No, no I don't mind. Maybe it's better if I get it off my chest."

Or... you know... she could tell a clearly needed therapist. Not someone she trapped behind the counter.. just a suggestion.

"Well, then- you see... oh, it's so hard to even think about!"

"I completely understand, ma'am. You don't have to-"

"My son was the reason-"

Okay then.

"-my husband died."

Wait what?

Lu Guang slides down his back slightly with a near ragged inhale that has Cheng Xiaoshi abruptly coughing to cover.

"Sorry- spit take, you know?" he says, at her questioning look, "That's- wow. Uh... hm. Hey- you're new to the area, right?"

Please say yes, please say yes, please-

"What? Oh, yes."

He needed to get her out of here. As curious as he was, as he always was for even snippets of Lu Guang's past, he... this couldn't be the way he found out. Not from someone else.

Not from his mother.

There was no doubt in Cheng Xiaoshi's mind that that was who this woman was. The two didn't share many similarities, not much more more than their eyes and fair skin, but his friend wouldn't.... he's never reacted this way before.

Not even when bullies would heckle and crow at him in their younger years. His head never bowed, he was never- he was never scared like this.

"There's a milk tea place, right down the street from here? You seem so stressed, ma'am, and it's great for calming down!"

They better enjoy the publicity he was giving them.

"Maybe that's where your missing person went?"

The woman contemplates it for a second, a hard line to her lips.

It's the longest second of Cheng Xiaoshi's life. And he had to wait and dial for an ambulance as his best friend bled out!

"That's..." oh god, "a fantastic idea. Thank you, boy."

Oh, so she could call him 'boy' but he couldn't call her- whatever. Whatever.

Bigger fish to fry at the moment, or however the saying went.

Cheng Xiaoshi waits, his heart thudding against his ribs as he watches her strut out the doors. It's an agonizing thing, watching her take slow, preppy steps away from their shop.

tick, tick, tick.

"Is.. she gone?" Lu Guang asks, his voice so so quiet.

Cheng Xiaoshi leans over the counter to watch the woman- Lu's mother- turn the corner.

"Mhm-"

He barely gets through the noise before he has to catch his roommate around the middle.

"Hey-! Hey, hey, hey, it's okay... it's okay," Cheng Xiaoshi panics, starting to sink down to the floor with his roommate before thinking better of it.

It's been a hot second since they'd swept.

So- like a good friend, the dark haired photographer stands back up, with Lu Guang clutched in his arms like that one cat poster- the one with it hanging from a branch- and pulls him closer.

He can feel his friend's chest heave in short staccatos.

It's... more than a little difficult to maneuver the both of them to the couch like this, but he manages- with minimal jostling, too! Lu Guang's skin is no less soft when Cheng Xiaoshi swipes his thumb over his cheek.

He doesn't say anything when it comes back wet.

"I'll be right back, alright? I just need to change the sign. Two seconds!"

It's decidedly a little more than two seconds.

Why did the pace have to pick up now of all times!? They've been practically dead all day!

Cheng Xiaoshi tries to be polite as he ushers them out, but he's frazzled and Lu Guang is terrified and he can't deal with this right now-

...he ends up promising a lot of discounts. To like three people. Insistent people.

Whatever. Push comes to shove, Qiao Ling has their back.

When he gets back to the couch, Lu Guang has curled into the corner of it and buried his head into his knees- arms wrapped around his stomach. His chest pangs at the sight- at the trembles still running through his roommate.

"Guangguang?" Cheng Xiaoshi tries, gently reaching for his shaking knee, "Hey-"

When his fingers make contact, his best friend flinches.

So the photographer changes tactics. He takes a seat next to him, fingers drumming on his own thighs as he tries to act like he has a clue on how to act.

"Can.. I see your hand?" No harm in asking, right?

For a second, he thinks he'll be ignored.

"It's okay if-" -oh!

No harm in asking.

Cheng Xiaoshi guides the pale limb to his chest, interlocking their fingers palm to knuckle, and waits.

thump-thump. thump-thump. thump-thump.

The dark haired boy breathes out.

Lu Guang breathes.

Little by little, breath by breath, the fair haired boy relaxes from the tight ball he's curled himself into. His kitten grey eyes meet warm brown, hesitant as if expecting judgment.

And when there's none to be found, he looks back towards his knees.

"I'm-"

"If you apologize, I'm going to smack you."

Lu Guang quiets down.

Which- well... that's not good either.

Cheng Xiaoshi rubs his friend's knuckles as he lets the silence stretch, vaguely frustrated at his own lack of words.

"Do you... wanna talk about who that was?"

He knew who it was, obviously, but- he gave his friend a choice about his powers. He'll give him a choice here.

"...my mother." it's a whispered thing, hesitant almost like he doesn't want to reveal it at-

Oh.

Oh.

Cheng Xiaoshi was well aware his friends tip-toed around certain subjects with him- unless it was brought up directly from the boy himself. And for the most part he found himself grateful for it.

But he never even realized that it could-

That it would be... that Lu Guang would feel like he couldn't talk to him about it.

He never wanted Lu Guang to feel like he couldn't talk to him.

thump-thump-thump.

"She seemed..."

"Uppity?"

"I was actually looking for a nicer word but- hey, your mom."

That startles a surprised little laugh out of his roommate, so he proudly considers it a win.

"She.. wasn't always like that." Lu Guang admits, tucking his face back into his knees.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Cheng Xiaoshi asks in return, careful- ever so careful.

He still has to tighten his grip so that Lu Guang doesn't pull away.

"...I can't-"

"You can." because fuck that one-sided comfort his roommate tried to push, "You always can."

Lu Guang doesn't say anything, so Cheng Xiaoshi tugs him forward until they're lying flat- tucks his fair haired friend into his chest like he could protect him from all the horrors in the world, for once, even the ones that plagued his own mind.

"We can also just lie here, until you feel better."

A long, gentle kiss gets pressed to fluffy white locks.

"Whatever you want, Lu Guang."

And, just like before, Cheng Xiaoshi pretends not to notice when his shirt collar grows wet.

did you enjoy? 👀 -> if you did, please let your hopefully dear author know <3 they thrive off feedback and could be persuaded to make a part two