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When word spread of the union of the Ghost King and his Crown Prince, suffice it to say that the general consensus of the populace was mixed: at worst, many were terrified for the poor scrap immortal, and at best, just plain confused. Crimson Rain Sought Flower was known to be a willful, unforgiving sort, as changeable in his mercy and cruelty as a stormy sky. What kind of husband could a being like that make? 

Obviously, precious few knew the whole truth of the matter, and so speculation was all they were afforded. Hua Cheng supposed they could entertain themselves with that if they pleased, so long as they minded their business. Personally, he found married life was suiting him very well.

Hardly a day passed that wasn’t steeped in beauty and bliss. From the moment Hua Cheng awoke, there was his gege: tousled and rosy and usually still half asleep, mumbling some adorable gibberish about breakfast, which Hua Cheng dotingly obliged. Then, if he was lucky, His Highness would allow him to assist in dressing in whatever finery he selected for the day– and if Hua Cheng promised to be extra good and copy an additional three pages of calligraphy that evening, then he could sneak a few extra ornaments into his smooth chestnut hair. Yes, Hua Cheng knew that his gege’s tastes were more for simplicity these days, but he had also seen the way those honeyed eyes glowed as Xie Lian smoothed his fingers over the delicate floral brocade, toyed with the stray butterfly charm dangling from his hairpin in shy, private admiration. As was typically the case, sometimes Xie Lian just needed to be allowed to enjoy things in his own way.

If it was a good day, they spent it all together; if somewhat less so, and his gege was kept busy by those cloud-brained fools, then at least Hua Cheng had the satisfaction of dropping into their communication array now and then. That heavenly soft “ah!” of surprise that resounded in his head was almost pleasure enough to make Hua Cheng forget they were apart at all.

Then, there was dinner at one of their shared homes, and some calligraphy practice at His Highness’ insistence– and after all, Hua Cheng had promised to be good, though he hadn’t technically specified at what– and then their final reunion of the evening; the details mattered less from here on. Whether it was the silk sheets of Paradise Manor, the rustic privacy of the shrine, or the comfort of their mountainside cottage, whether wild, playful, or slow, Xie Lian’s wisdom rang as true as ever through the song of their passion: you, and not the state of you.

If it was a very good day, then they’d have another round or two before submitting to the muffled evening. All night long, his prince’s scent and hair and body cocooned Hua Cheng in sleep that, like many things these days, he took solely for pleasure’s sake– and then come morning, his eye would drift open to that same blessed sight, and it would be another good day all over again. If this was married life, Hua Cheng didn’t have much to complain about.

Of course, this didn’t mean that he still didn’t like to complain a little, now and then. Just for the fun of it.

One such opportunity had presented itself one unassuming evening at Paradise Manor; the pair were awaiting dinner in the main hall as a troupe of ghost dancers twirled and paraded in intricate choreography to the tune of expertly played music. With only the two of them there, Xie Lian had protested that it felt a bit silly– after all, there was no longer any need for the degree of fanfare Hua Cheng had orchestrated on his first visit to Ghost City so many years ago. Hua Cheng had smiled innocently and implored his gege to indulge him, and for all Xie Lian’s talents, denying Hua Cheng anything he asked was not among his strongest.

Even so, Xie Lian sat attentively at the edge of the cushioned dais, watching with a polite smile and occasionally setting aside his tea to applaud lightly in encouragement. If he was going to be presented with such unnecessary extravagance, the least he could do was be a good audience member.

Hua Cheng reclined beside him, swirling a cup of wine with a smooth smile– too smooth, if Xie Lian had looked at him long enough to notice the mounting mischief in it. But, since he hadn’t, this was about to become his downfall.

Xie Lian’s focus was suddenly broken by a long, truly pitiful sigh. Turning abruptly, he saw Hua Cheng propping his head up on one hand; the other was fiddling with his now empty cup as if it was a toy and he a neglected child with no one to play with, cruelly instructed to entertain himself.

Xie Lian laughed slightly nervously. “Ah… San Lang? Is something the matter?”

Hua Cheng heaved another sigh, the breath puffing his lips out in a miserable little humph, as if he was playing harder at flirtation than the sulking itself.

“This poor husband…” he whined, tracing a circle about the cup’s rim. “You really think I can’t tell?”

“Eh–? Tell what?”

“Gege is clearly enraptured by such beauty, and hasn’t even spared me a glance…” The one eye batted: dark, glittering, jaded– and ridiculously melodramatic. “Married only a few hundred years, and I’ve already become boring to you, have I?”

“Wh–! N-no, no-no-no– it’s not th–!”

As expected, Xie Lian was immediately red-faced and sputtering, waving his hands furiously as if he could dispel Hua Cheng’s complaints by physical force; meanwhile, Hua Cheng had abandoned the cup entirely in lieu of flopping dramatically onto his back and throwing a hand over his eyes.

“Ah– please, don’t lie for the sake of my feelings, beloved,” he lamented. “I understand, really… Gege is only a man, after all. Oh, and what a man, as I know so well–”

“SAN LANG!”

“–but if I’d known such a display would draw your eye, I would have done so mysel– WHUH!”

The shameless act was cut off by Xie Lian hurling a cushion at Hua Cheng’s face, which was ridiculous enough in itself for Hua Cheng to give in to a bout of muffled laughter beneath it– as had Xie Lian too, he realized when he emerged to see his husband laughing along freely, sending puffs of air wafting through the loose hair about his face. Hua Cheng was content enough with that sight alone to give up the ghost for a while.

“San Lang, ah… ” Xie Lian chastised, shaking his head in knowing chagrin. “Sometimes you’re too silly…!”

Hua Cheng laughed richly in his throat, tossing a hand in the air to wave away the dancers. They bowed and skittered away immediately– if Hua Cheng was honest, he didn’t really know where they went when they were done, or where they came from either, actually. 

Eh– who cares? What a few random ghosts chose to do with their time was less important to Hua Cheng than the way his prince was looking at him now: a little exasperated but hopelessly endeared, leaning over him until that hair was draping low like the canopy of their bed, offering a hint of its tender seclusion no matter where they were.

“Then I suppose I’ll just have to pray extra hard for forgiveness, Your Highness…” One fair fingertip stroked the seam of the cushion where it lay on his chest. “Unless you really would like to see me wrapped up in silks like that, just for you– how scandalous…”

Xie Lian squawked another laugh. “The way San Lang talks, it sounds like he wants me to say yes.”

“Well, why not? How else shall I keep my husband’s attention, hm?”

The look in Xie Lian’s eye melted into something warm and assuring at that, and he raised one palm to press gently against the cushion. Hua Cheng tried to focus on basking in that glorious feeling instead of cursing an inanimate object for getting in the way of Xie Lian’s skin on his.

“Oh, stop that now…” Xie Lian murmured, rosy pink lips parting and curling in a way that reminded Hua Cheng what it had felt like to die all those times before. “There’s no need. Besides, there’s nothing in the world San Lang could wear that would make me more interested in him than I already am.”

Before, Xie Lian hadn’t been sparing the attention to notice the split second Hua Cheng got one of his naughty ideas– now, however, that glint in his eye shone again in plain, undeniable view.

Hua Cheng cocked his head ever so slightly to one side. “Oh, really? Gege is very sure of that?”

Xie Lian’s brows furrowed. “Yes, of course. What kind of person do you think I am?” he harrumphed, coming to a seated position again and looking a little miffed. “I’ve told you before, haven’t I? Looks don’t matter, and my San Lang is lovely no matter what appearance he takes.”

Hua Cheng was undeterred; he slid forward on one elbow, now bringing his whole body, languid and slender, to stretch along the length of the dais and crane his head around Xie Lian’s hip. “But you must have some preference, yes? One version of your San Lang that’s especially… appealing.”

Hua Cheng’s lips were close enough to ruffle the hem of Xie Lian’s sleeve with his breath alone, the words as tangible in literal space as they were in suggestion. Though he adamantly refused to turn around, the effect clearly wasn’t lost on Xie Lian, if the gradual bloom of pink up the nape of his neck was any indication– and a couple hundred years of married life had ensured that Hua Cheng was well-versed in indications of that very kind.

“Certainly not. That would be– hm–!” Xie Lian nearly gave himself away with a bitten back gasp as he felt fingers toying lightly with the sash of his robes, dipping beneath the hem, sliding to and fro as if testing the give– of course, they weren’t really trying to go anywhere, and didn’t need to. The mere insinuation was more than enough.

“Hm? Would be what, gege?”

“Th-that would be… vain of me.”

“Hah… Perhaps you’re right,” Hua Cheng chuckled deeply. “But there are worse sins than vanity, don’t you think? I wouldn’t blame you if you had one particular favorite– one that makes your head spin, and your hair raise… ” 

Hua Cheng discarded the cushion and inched even closer, rolling onto his back like a cat sunning itself. From this angle, he could see that blush had successfully spread to Xie Lian’s ears and cheeks, brilliant splashes of red against his skin. Hua Cheng couldn’t help his wolfish grin as he nuzzled into the soft pillow of Xie Lian’s thigh. “Which one is it, I wonder…?”

For a second, Xie Lian’s eyes widened as his body froze with telltale stillness; internally, Hua Cheng wondered if he had really won that easily. However, Xie Lian seemed to get a hold of himself and, in lieu of a real response, only barked a flustered, somewhat violent laugh.

“HAH–! Haha– v-very funny, San Lang, but you can’t t-trick me– OH LOOK, DUMPLINGS–!”

Hua Cheng’s headrest was unceremoniously ripped out from beneath him as Xie Lian practically dove for the incoming trays of food, leaving it to flop backward off the edge of the dais like he was trying to look at the room upside-down. He laughed bright and resonant all the same, as much at Xie Lian’s frantic escape as at the inverted view of him cramming his face like a chipmunk to avoid giving an answer.

It didn’t matter anyway, Hua Cheng mused as he caught his breath and sat upright. Outwardly, he made his sincere apology for teasing and conceded to join his husband for dinner– all while inwardly locking in his master plan.

As always, Xie Lian had shown his hand without even saying a word. All that was left to Hua Cheng now was the good old process of elimination.

"Ah–! Didn’t I tell you– hurry, come and see–!”

Xie Lian paused and looked up curiously, eyes drawn in the direction of the distant chattering that was now echoing up the road to Puqi Village. He could only barely make it out from where he was sitting on the front stoop of the shrine, but it sounded extremely lively– dare he say, a bit urgent…?

Instinctively, Xie Lian set aside the pickling jar he was repairing– oh, it had fallen apart again as soon as he’d set it down, so maybe best to call it a wash anyway– and began hurrying to see what was the matter.

I hope nothing’s gone wrong with the talismans I just handed out… Ah, it couldn’t be a stray demon, or a ghost stirring up trouble, could it…?

All a number of possibilities whizzed through his mind– but, as he rounded the corner to the steep hill that descended into the heart of the village, Xie Lian came to realize just how accurate his conjecture was.

Hiking up the hill at a considerable pace was a very familiar young man: the body slim and lively, long hair pulled into a high ponytail that swung in the air like a playful cat’s tail, dark eyes sparkling, and looking especially… ahem. Active.

Not only was the youth stripped to the waist, exposing the coy taper of his torso, but his entire body was also gleaming with sweat. Each individual droplet beaded like a little pearl and tracked glistening paths all across his skin, drawing the eye helplessly along the fair expanse of supple flesh, rippling muscles, brilliant streaks of red blush across his naked chest and arms. 

He practically shone under the sun of high noon as he continued striding up the hill without so much as a ragged breath, a contradiction to the two comically large bundles of hay he had hoisted on both shoulders. The twin arcs of his arms held aloft meant that nothing above the narrow hips was left to the imagination: his firm abdomen, his smooth back, his trim waist all flexed and gleamed in full, tempting view– one that was clearly not going unappreciated, judging by the veritable horde of admirers trailing in his wake.

“Ah, you really are remarkable, Xiao Hua-gege– psst, meimei– what a sight, isn’t he?! ”

“So strong and dashing– you really should come meet our granddaughter someday, Xiao Hua, you’ll love her–!”

Call after call of praise and delight rang from the gaggle of villagers doddering behind Hua Cheng, but he was completely deaf to them as he locked eyes with Xie Lian– Xie Lian, who, to Hua Cheng’s thrum of satisfaction, appeared to be beet-red and rooted to the ground already.

Ah, so this is the form His Highness is weakest to, then? How nostalgic. And who would have thought he had a thing for younger men…? Naughty, naughty gege.

Hua Cheng crested the hill, now only a few steps away from his target and feeling quite pleased with his results. Sure, he had a fairly good idea of what his husband liked by now, but even he hadn’t imagined he would strike so true on the very first try. He gave the loads a shove higher on his shoulders for good measure, adding in a labored grunt just to see Xie Lian swallow hard at the sound.

“Oh, daozhang! Isn’t that didi of yours impressive?” called one ancient old woman, plodding up the hill as though the sight of the village heartthrob had miraculously given her the strength of a thousand men. “Hee-hee, and handsome, too…!”

The old woman could have been speaking in another language for all Hua Cheng cared. The approval of the rabble wasn’t his goal anyway, and by all appearances, he’d already won: before him, Xie Lian was wide-eyed and flushed, both his hands clenched in his robes, one corner of his bottom lip bitten nearly white between his teeth. Hua Cheng was a little sad to see that, but no matter. He would simply kiss it better as soon as Xie Lian gave in and dragged him by the arm into the shrine– and there, Xie Lian could tell him all about why he preferred Xiao Hua the best, all while Hua Cheng caressed and teased and drew out his gege’s pleasure to a razor-thin line–

“Hah– he sure is.” 

Hua Cheng blinked in surprise at Xie Lian’s reply. Huh? That wasn’t right. Xie Lian’s voice sounded far too steady– and looking closer at him, his face far too composed. Sure enough, as Xie Lian fixed his eyes determinedly on Hua Cheng’s face, his resolute expression wavered, but did not slip.

“I think you’re quite right, grandmother– and that’s why he deserves a break!” Xie Lian chirped, a subtle tremor in his hands the only giveaway as he stepped forward– right up to Hua Cheng’s face, for heavens’ sake, so close that he could have smelled the sweat on him, and that alone would have sealed the deal on any other day– only to lift the bundles onto his own shoulders and step back to a safe distance with a perfectly serene smile.

Hua Cheng could offer no resistance whatsoever, his smug expression slackening to disbelief. Despite the persistent blush, Xie Lian triumphantly smiled back at him– and cocked his head with the tiniest gleam of defiance in his eye.

“I can take these from here, San Lang. Thank you very much– that was a good effort.”

With that, Xie Lian turned on his heel and marched up the road, quite literally leaving Hua Cheng in the dust as the villagers dispersed: some behind Xie Lian to direct where the hay should go, the others heading for home once they realized that Xiao Hua would not be responding to their invitations to stay for dinner, or come over for tea, or meet their granddaughters or their dogs, or whatever.

“Eh– what’s wrong with the boy? Looks like he’s seen a ghost… Ah, well. Don’t be a stranger, Xiao Hua! And give some thought to that offer, will you?”

As the last of the villagers wandered off, Hua Cheng could only stand numbly and stare after Xie Lian’s receding figure. His gege had… resisted him? That had never happened before. 

He looked down at himself, genuinely puzzled. What had gone wrong? Was he not dirty enough? Was his ponytail too straight? Had he made his waist a little too small– or rather, not small enough?

Hua Cheng furrowed his brow and shook his head slightly. It would do no good to dwell on the details. Okay, so he hadn’t actually succeeded on the first try– so what? It wasn’t like Xiao Hua was the only tool at his disposal. He would simply try again. One of them was bound to work, or he would be proven a failure as a husband indeed.

Still, he had gotten all hot and sweaty and carried that hay for a good mile just to make the act convincing, and didn’t even get a pat on the head for it. Hua Cheng frowned down at the dirt road for a petulant second or two– then kicked a rock as far as the opposite end of the village.

Well. One down.

If one asked Xie Lian his idea of a productive day, he would probably have given any number of hypothetical answers: a hefty bag of scraps ready for refurbishing; a daunting repair job done well; even a day of rest and relaxation, as he had slowly but gratefully learned with a little help over the years.

An average day in the heavens was also many things: ‘eventful,’ ‘challenging,’ ‘stimulating’ were all quite diplomatic ways of putting it. Diplomacy aside, Xie Lian would not deign to include ‘productive’ on that list.

Xie Lian rubbed his temple and heaved a sigh as he staggered out of the palace of Ling Wen– finally, the end of another one of those eventful, challenging, and stimulating days. In the end, the new arrivals had just squabbled with the old blood over territory disputes for hours while he tried to play peacemaker. Of course, no one listened, though they still had the gall to look to him at the end of the meeting to pass the final judgment. Xie Lian really wasn’t sure what it was about the whole ‘scrap immortal’ thing that gave them the impression that he was the new de facto Heavenly Emperor.

His feet dragged like lodestones as he puttered down the main avenue in the general direction of the exit. Well, at least it was over, and he could be on his way home… Home to San Lang.  

A small smile tugged at his lips at the thought alone– no matter how taxing, there was no day that couldn’t be instantly revived by seeing his San Lang welcoming him home. Xie Lian almost felt his steps lightening in anticipation, landing downy-soft as if on cloud-tops and not polished stone, almost like…

“Y-Your Highness?!”

“Huh?” Xie Lian turned at the familiar cry; first, finding Feng Xin looking extremely alarmed, then second, looking down and realizing he had been stumbling blearily toward the edge of the Heavens, and was now only a stone’s throw from stepping right off.

“Oh–hah! Oops,” he laughed wearily, rubbing his forehead. In all honesty, he wasn’t above jumping right down for expediency’s sake, certainly not when he was so desperate to be home– but still, getting caught doing so by his former retainer was a bit embarrassing. “I guess I’m a little out of it today.”

“Hmph. I’ll say,” came the haughty remark from behind Feng Xin like a shadow. “You travel so much, I don’t know why you even bother attending territory meetings. Just tell Ling Wen you’re busy next time.”

Feng Xin jumped about a foot in the air. “Fucking– where the fuck did you come from?”

Mu Qing rolled his eyes. “The same meeting as you, buffoon. Or did your goldfish brain forget already?”

Xie Lian waved his hand appeasingly, leaping to reply before Feng Xin could even consider throwing the first punch. “Oh, I don’t mind all that much– and since I do so much traveling for scrap-collecting, there’s information about the mortal realm that I might have that most gods don’t! Still, I wish everyone wouldn’t fight so much. It’s so draining…” 

In Xie Lian’s periphery, the two Southern generals shot each other a begrudged look, and lowered their proverbial hackles. He smiled to himself to see it. Some things never changed.

“And to think, I nearly forgot that today San Lang is supposed t–”

Xie Lian hadn’t needed to finish his sentence; the final words were swept away from him- quite literally, as a great rush of wind suddenly tore down the main avenue, driven by the wings of hundreds of dancing butterflies arriving as if by cue. Left and right, heavenly officials cried out, ducked, covered their heads with their scrolls. Xie Lian could understand that, given everything, but still found it a shame. The delicate little creatures filling the sky like strings of diamonds made such a beautiful sight.

And they weren’t alone. Close behind the swarm came a formidable wave of ghostly energy that rippled through the very foundation of the Heavens as something… no, someone made their entrance.

The butterflies lifted to hover overhead like a great glittering cloud catching a northern wind. Free from their blinding presence, martial and civil gods alike staggered back to their feet– only to freeze in cold fear, still doubled over, at that distant sound: a light click, heels on the cobblestones– and–

Ring… Ring… Ring…

There, unmistakably– the echoes of the worst nightmare for any heavenly official with their head on straight, brought to reality. The Ghost King Hua Cheng had arrived in the Heavens.

As ever, Crimson Rain Sought Flower was as dazzling as he was menacing: rich red robes as vivid as fresh blood, flowing long behind him; glints of silver embroidery and jewelry anointing him from head to toe, ornaments of butterflies with wings like knives, maple leaves with points like poisoned darts; black leather boots polished to a chilling shine, the steps echoing sharp and mean off golden palaces that were no more than sheaths of foil beneath his heel; that one eye glittering like onyx to match the ink-black hair spilling down his shoulders, just barely licking against the ivory-fair skin of his neck and chest, left bare beneath his collar’s scandalously deep part; the body beneath it robust and angular, towering over the rabble parting so easily before him.

Every wicked inch of him dripped with majesty, and Hua Cheng knew it. He had planned on it.

Drawing steadily closer, Hua Cheng vaguely registered Idiots One and Two glowering and visibly clenching their jaws. He could practically hear the vitriol they were probably losing brain cells over biting back: “What the hell does he want?!”

Well. He would assume the answer to that was obvious– it was in his title, after all. But one just couldn’t fix eight centuries’ worth of stupid.

A smirk played about Hua Cheng’s mouth as he came to a halt directly before Xie Lian; his husband hadn’t said a word, had barely blinked as he’d approached, and a flutter in his dead heart at Xie Lian’s dazed expression dared him to suspect he may have hit the mark this time. After all, his husband had confessed plenty of times how weak he was to Hua Cheng’s smooth confidence- an attitude fit for a king. The praise always spilled so prettily from his lips as he writhed in the circle of Hua Cheng’s arms, his voice so defenseless and sweet... As requested, Hua Cheng had tumbled Xie Lian again as a reward for using his words, and gleefully taken the hint.

Now, his smile deepened, growing warm to match the affection glowing in his chest. Despite the arrogance and prestige of this particular display, Hua Cheng truly relished any opportunity he got to sweep Xie Lian off his feet. It didn’t hurt that Xie Lian had all but confirmed its success. Just one final touch, and he would fall to pieces– right into Hua Cheng’s ready, waiting arms.

One elegant hand glided forward, smooth as jade and extended palm-up in offering, and the smooth lips parted with suave, seductive intent.

“Geg–”

Hua Cheng had barely made it past the first syllable before Xie Lian grinned and shook himself, blinking rapidly as if surfacing from a dream.

“Oh–! San Lang, phew, good thing you showed up. I almost forgot you were coming– I was about to hop down myself, can you believe it?” he chattered with a lopsided grin. “I would have embarrassed you terribly. Anyway, I’m exhausted– can we head straight home?”

Hua Cheng stood stupefied, his hand hanging in mid-air, feeling about as stiff as all those statues he had once carved.

“Uh– wh– I–” he stammered. “Well–yes, Your Highness, of course, but– do y–”

Xie Lian clapped his hands together and beamed even brighter, looking thoroughly re-energized. “Ah, good! I need to check on my pickles anyway. I haven’t opened that jar for at least a couple years. It’s so wonderful to see you, I feel much better now. Today was a really tough one. But I did see a pretty bird on the way up, so that was nice. Oh– what do you want for dinner? I’ve been thinking about noodles all day…”

Every heavenly official in eyeshot could only gawk as the Scrap-Collecting Immortal skipped forward with renewed spirit and hooked his arm through the elbow of the most frightening man that had ever walked the three realms, then towed him to the edge of the heavens and simply hopped down, yapping all the while. Even so, many didn’t dare to breathe their sigh of relief until the hem of those red robes was fully out of sight– a poor decision on their part, as the luxuriously long silks kept slipping over the Heavens’ edge for a good thirty seconds more after Crimson Rain’s figure, finally disappearing off the side with an anticlimactic thwick.

Well, at the very least, the two Southern generals were too busy sputtering furiously and staring in incredulous disdain respectively to fight over anything. Maybe the Crown Prince was right about appreciating the little blessings in life.

“That– that asshole! What the fuck is he playing at, scaring the everloving shit out of all of us just to pick up His Highness from work?! Goddamn piss ass motherfucker–”

“Where the hell did he find robes that long…?”

Several hundred feet below, Hua Cheng was straining the muscles in his jaw to keep up his easy smile while Xie Lian hollered the details of his day over the wind, rushing and whistling about them as they plummeted like deadweight to the ground. Truly, he loved when his gege was feeling talkative, especially after he’d had a long and tiring day, but… really…

… Again?!

He stifled the bitter disappointment rising in his throat, and set his mind racing to craft another plan. Okay, so… So he hadn’t nailed it on the second try either. No big deal. Hua Cheng had been broken and reforged in white-hot determination so many times, to give up now would be a crime against His Highness and against Hua Cheng’s very nature!

After all, he had effortlessly seduced his gege countless times before, without even thinking about it– he could do it again.

Third time’s the charm… right?

Xie Lian winced lightly as pain pricked through his thumb– he had bitten the nail right down to the nub again. He knit his brow lightly. That was the last nail he had left to bite, which went to show how long he’d been waiting, perched on the arm of the throne overlooking the playing floor. At least a few rounds of incense had burnt out since he had arrived at the Gambler’s Den that night to await Hua Cheng’s arrival, but there was still no sign of his husband- and Xie Lian was starting to worry.

Just after lunchtime that day, Hua Cheng had slipped into their array to let him know he had one more important mission to attend to, but that he would join Xie Lian as soon as he was ready.

And if that trash gives gege any trouble, remember your dice, he soothed. Call for me, and I’ll make quick work of them.

Xie Lian smiled a little to himself to remember it– a generous promise, though not as necessary as Hua Cheng might think. Though they were still plenty rowdy, the patrons of the Gambler’s Den were always incredibly keen to be on their best behavior whenever Grand-uncle was in. One squawked death threat too loud, and the rest of the room would violently hush the offending ghost: “Shut up, ya shitbag– oh, uh– I mean, ya dumb-dumb! No foul mouths when Grand-uncle is visiting!! Heh, sorry Grand-uncle– here, I’ll tie his mouth shut and roast him up for ya!!!” 

Xie Lian had emphatically assured them that wasn’t necessary, and settled for sentencing the culprit to some calligraphy and self-reflection in a side room until they were ready to come back and play nicely.

Another peal of raucous laughter rang from below, the sheer curtain dividing the playing floor from Hua Chengzhu’s throne making a poor sound buffer. Once the night was really underway, there was no hope for any peace and quiet, beyond casting up a spell to dampen the noise: from the ground floor to the rafters of the Den, the entire building was all a clamor: fists pounding on tables, piercing shrieks of victory or defeat, the rattle of dice undercutting it all like the sound of cracking knuckles.

Xie Lian shifted his weight nervously on the arm of the chair; despite his husband’s encouragement, he could never see himself actually taking the seat and lording over the Den for an evening (though realistically, Xie Lian figured that was just another one of Hua Cheng’s naughty fancies). His eyes flicked to the main entrance again and tucked his hands into his sleeves, for the sake of his remaining nails. Thankfully the night was running smoothly with the help of the attendants, but still… Has San Lang run into some trouble on his mission?

His fingers brushed against the pair of smooth, cool dice, tucked safely away– he really hated to be a bother if Hua Cheng was busy, but maybe just to check in…

Xie Lian almost rolled the dice inadvertently when he startled at the sudden clunk and following creak. Looking up quickly, his heart soared to see the double doors to the Gambler’s Den beginning to swing open, even more so to feel the ghostly aura sweeping through like a rush of fog.

“Hey, hey– look! Our Chengzhu has arrived!!”

The overlapping shouts of excitement were inaudible to Xie Lian as he rushed to the end of the platform, beaming and throwing open the curtains with both hands– only to stop dead in his tracks by the sight before him.

Standing there in the open doorway was Hua Cheng, as promised– but as a vision of indecency unlike anything Xie Lian could have imagined in even his filthiest dreams.

The first thing Xie Lian registered was: legs. Long, pale, and smooth as marble, but most notably, bare– as bare as much of the rest of Hua Cheng’s body, as he realized the more he looked– bare to the point of being practically nude.

Several lengths of sheer black silk were draped artfully about his person, though so suggestively that it could only be considered clothing in a technical sense; in reality, any small space that could be called ‘covered’ was only accentuated by the stark contrast of translucent black on dove-white skin. Two were secured in steep arcs cresting his hips, and tied to cast off the loose ends in a gauzy wake behind him, while in the front, an additional silk hung shyly between his legs as the bare minimum of modesty. Its ink-black line ran invitingly from his bare feet up between the firm thighs, slung low to hug him about his groin, and almost seemed to dissipate into the trail of dark hair that rose from it like a wisp of smoke from an extinguished candle. Two more were bound snugly around the muscles of his biceps, and drooped, still and languid, to the floor like deep, dark water over a marble stair. Lastly, the sleek, high ponytail- an insinuation of yet another black silk in itself- revealed a face part way between his youthful and true forms– strong and masculine, yet fair and boyishly beautiful, with two gleaming eyes and full lips enlivened by swipes of crimson red rouge.

The entire Gambler’s Den was dead silent, which, despite being mostly full of dead beings, was actually quite a feat. Their Chengzhu had indeed arrived– and he was staring up at the Crown Prince with a faint smile, and utter sin in his eyes.

He stood motionless, wordless for a long moment; as ever, some things didn’t need to be spoken for. In this, Hua Cheng’s power was all in suggestion. Then, he extended one bare foot to take a single, sultry step forward, and let the outfit (what little there was of it) do the talking.

At the first jingle, Hua Cheng could see Xie Lian visibly shiver at the top of the stairs. The deceptively dainty sound had sang from his body to Xie Lian’s ears as though they were mere inches apart, he knew. Between that and more of his exposed body catching the light as he moved, he was sure Xie Lian could now make out a few distinct lines of silver shimmering like veins on his naked skin, so subtle that their presence could almost go unnoticed– almost. 

One only needed a slightly closer look to make out the jewelry adorning his torso, and then there was no ignoring it. Most obvious of all were the three butterflies positioned in a provocative triangle on his torso: pierced through his cold flesh from nipple to nipple to navel, all connected by a silver chain as thin and delicate as a thread. From there, several similar chains split off, dangling around the twin dips of his waist, tickling his ribs, and– perhaps Hua Cheng’s personal favorite– stemming from the wings that hugged both dusky nipples, running back over his shoulders, and looping low over the small of his back like a pair of reins on a horse.

In Hua Cheng’s defense, Xie Lian had frequently commented that one day he would like to get back into riding– and what kind of husband would deny such a simple pleasure?

With another few steps, Hua Cheng had crossed the threshold into the Gambler’s Den; high above him, Xie Lian looked to be gripping onto the curtains with white knuckles just to stay standing. Hua Cheng openly preened at the sight, cocking his head and allowing his ponytail to brush along one shoulder blade, the matching silver earrings tinkling like a bell.

As if by cue, the shocked spell Hua Cheng had cast over the Gambler’s Den broke, and the room erupted into chaos.

“WAHOOOOO!! YEAH, THAT’S OUR LORD!! DAMN, HAVE YOU EVER SEEN ANYONE SO IRRESISTIBLE?!?!”

“AIN’T NOBODY DOIN’ IT LIKE HIM– GO GET THAT DICK WET, CHENGZHU!!!”

“HAHAHA–! GRAND-UNCLE WON’T BE SLEEPING A WINK TONIGHT, HUH? COME ON, LET’S BET ON IT– MY MONEY SAYS FIVE MINUTES, TOPS–!!”

Hua Cheng didn’t bother with silencing them as he arrived at the foot of the stairs and began slowly climbing to His Highness step by sensual step– if anything, the din would probably be helpful in disguising the noises that were sure to come from the opposite end of the curtain soon. His gege really made an adorable effort to keep quiet when they were in public, but they both knew it wouldn’t be long before whimpers were slipping from between his lips, then moans, then raw, full-throated cries, until Hua Cheng was forced to send up a soundproofing spell just to keep the show all for himself.

By the time Hua Cheng ascended the final step, Xie Lian’s eyes were as wide as saucers, his mouth hanging slack, and his throat was working hard around a swallow, or a word, or maybe just the effort of breathing steadily. Hua Cheng smiled– he would gladly remedy that soon enough, but surely just a little more teasing wouldn’t hurt.

Tucking both hands behind his back, Hua Cheng bowed his head– a perfect picture of obedience.

“Good evening, Your Highness. Please accept my humble apologies for my tardiness– I hope this rabble hasn’t been too much of a headache for you,” he hummed in a tone that crooned honey and heat and velvet, keeping his head lowered until he had been granted permission to rise. “Now that I’m here, if His Highness would be so generous… May I escort him tonight?”

Somewhere above Hua Cheng’s downcast line of sight, Xie Lian sucked in a sharp breath and seemed to choke on it before shakily clearing his throat; Hua Cheng tucked a giggle into the pocket of his cheek just in time.

“Hh–ghnn–ahem– uh, y-yes, I– I would be very p-pleased to, uh… to…” Xie Lian stammered, and stepped aside, parting one curtain to allow Hua Cheng in. Hua Cheng smiled politely as he rose, noting the spots on the curtain that were now hopelessly wrinkled from Xie Lian’s death grip, possibly even torn in a few places.

“Thank you, Your Highness. You are truly gracious,” he murmured as he glided by, pausing for a moment to squeeze Xie Lian’s free hand in his– only to let the length of one silk slip through the open palm as he passed, just to make Xie Lian shiver. Once inside, Hua Cheng made sure to position himself on the throne as temptingly as possible: legs spread, wrists slung wide over the arms of the chair, presenting his prince with a far superior seat for the night.

When Xie Lian closed the curtain and stepped directly to him, Hua Cheng allowed himself a satisfied smile– and then, when those noble hands came to loosen the white belt and collar, even Hua Cheng couldn’t help but tremble along with them. 

Of course, he mused, letting his eyes flutter shut. How could I have been so blind? While both Xiao Hua and Crimson Rain had their perks, it was understandable that they would fall short of the mark, as Xie Lian had seen them hundreds of times over the years. It only stood to reason that in order to succeed, Hua Cheng had to give his gege a show like he had never seen before.

Hua Cheng upturned his face for the kiss that would seal his victory, feeling tense with anticipation and no less eager to pay Xie Lian back in double– no, triple the measure– for his benevolent surrender: any lewd desire, any unspeakable fantasy he could imagine, for as long as his His Highness wished to savor it, Hua Cheng would perform it tenfold. He would get Yin Yu to run the city for the whole damn week if Xie Lian asked– just–

Just kiss me… Kiss me now , gege…

With his eyes closed and so hypersensitive, Hua Cheng could hardly be blamed for physically jumping when he felt that first, tender brush on his skin– though, as he noticed with a slight, sinking delay, it was not the touch he was expecting, nor in the place he was expecting it.

With a gentle hush , Xie Lian’s outer robe settled fully over his shoulders, swaddling him just as preciously as a steamed bun being wrapped up and saved for supper. Hua Cheng stared down at it dumbly for a moment, then up at Xie Lian’s loving, smiling face: still flushed, still slightly stammering, but brimming with all the staunch determination that Hua Cheng adored about his god– under any other circumstances.

“San Lang will make himself sick again, dressing that way. Please… allow me, my dear.”

And Hua Cheng, he…

He loved him. Hua Cheng loved him, loved Xie Lian from the burning core of his very being to the dusty, ruined ends of this godsforsaken world.

…

But COME ON.

The patrons of Ghost City would soon pass that evening into legend: the night Hua Chengzhu had presented himself as a salacious offering to his beloved Crown Prince, and the pair had disappeared behind the curtain, no doubt for an evening of debauchery the likes of which no one had ever seen. Every ghost within a ten mile radius had their own theory, each one raunchier and more depraved than the last.

Thankfully, perhaps, none of them included Hua Chengzhu openly pouting on his gege’s lap all night long, while Xie Lian heartily rubbed his arms and back to warm him, assuring, “No need to worry, San Lang. I’ll watch over the playing floor tonight– I think I’m finally starting to get the hang of this!”

The doors to Paradise Manor’s master bedchamber shut with a decisive thunk, and it was all Hua Cheng could do to not collapse against them– normally, he would pride himself on his endurance, but recent happenings had truly tested him beyond limits even he thought possible.

Yes, it had been a long, arduous week away from home, quelling some bullshit territory disputes with a handful of upstart ghosts who thought achieving Malice-level rank entitled them to a sliver of Ghost City, and yes, had they not taken several villages’ worth of mortal children hostage, he could have wiped them out and been back in time for dinner days ago– but more importantly–

It had been nearly two full months since he had set out on his personal mission, with no victory in sight– and if he was honest with himself, Hua Cheng was genuinely starting to question his capability as ‘professional gege seducer.’

A wheedling spike of pain lanced through his skull, and Hua Cheng winced sharply; he must be drained indeed, if he was registering a physical headache as though he were mortal again. He sent a curt message in Yin Yu’s communication array that ensured he would not be disturbed for the evening, and began staggering in the direction of the bath the attendants had prepared for his return, carelessly discarding his robes and jewelry onto whatever flat surface he passed.

It wasn’t that Xie Lian couldn’t refuse him if he just wasn’t in the mood, Hua Cheng puzzled, as he strewed aside a vambrace here and an earring there. Of course it wasn’t that– from the first night he and Xie Lian had brought their desire for one another to fruition, Hua Cheng had made it clear that he never expected anything, never assumed anything. It was just that, well… 

For heavens’ sake, Hua Cheng had tried everything! From the clean-cut and studious scholar in spring green, excelling at composition and recitation; to the rugged and carefree fisherman who had single-handedly reeled in a fresh, glistening catch when he brought Xie Lian to the coast; to the older, dashing Hua Chengzhu christened with silver hair and a well-groomed beard, coaxing his young prince to steal off in the night with him– but His Highness, ever the model of restraint, had resisted them all. Gods, Hua Cheng had even tried his luck with a few animal forms here and there, in case Xie Lian had some secret kink somehow as yet undiscovered– and still, even in those, Xie Lian had only given him an innocent boop on the nose, and a cheery, “You look cute today, San Lang!”

It wasn’t that Hua Cheng wasn’t persistent enough, either– he had practically written the book on persistence. After all, he had suffered unspeakable agonies, passed through the veil of death thrice over, endured centuries of solitude and yearning without complaint– and yet, he couldn’t successfully seduce his own husband?!

Another throb of pain arrested him, at which Hua Cheng audibly groaned, raising a hand to pinch the bridge of his nose before slipping off his eyepatch. It was probably telling that mentally reviewing all his failed attempts was literally painful, but he couldn’t help it. There had to be something he was missing, if he only scrutinized them closely enough– there had to be. 

Or else… Xie Lian just wasn’t interested.

The thought stopped Hua Cheng in his tracks, stark naked, just a few steps away from the steaming bath descending into the floor– a stroke of luck, really, as another foot or two and he likely would have stumbled directly in from the shock alone. He stared down into the water, a still, dark mirror at his feet, with his brow furrowed and eye wide with alarm. Could that be it? Could it be that his gege… had lost interest in him?

He blinked once, then shivered despite the cloying heat of the bath. No, surely… surely his husband would tell him honestly, even if that were true. And then, even if he were too embarrassed to bring it up himself, surely with Hua Cheng’s otherworldly perception, he would have seen the signs, anything to suggest Xie Lian’s tastes were changing…

Hua Cheng felt his dead heart stirring anxiously, and fought back a surge of panic with a shake of his head before wading into the hot water and sending his reflection scattering into hundreds of rippling pieces. No, that couldn’t be it. There had to be some key detail that he was forgetting, some feature or flair that he’d had before that he’d somehow omitted now–

Think, you fool, think… he urged himself as he lowered to sitting, bringing his elbows to rest on the polished black floor behind him. His fingers inadvertently fidgeted, making agitated little wave-pools on either side of him while he wracked his brain for the missing puzzle piece. That first night, on Mount Yujun: Hua Cheng had been dressed nearly the same as he was in the heavens last month, except he hadn’t brought the umbrella. Had it been the umbrella? Possibly. Noted. What next, what next… That night in the step-litter, had Hua Cheng’s nails been long or short? Painted or unpainted? Or had it been the privacy of the step-litter itself, or the display of grandeur, or… heavens above– had it been the damn skeletons?

Hua Cheng huffed and slipped a bit further into the water, sinking until the ripples were lapping at his bare collarbones. With his head tipped back against the stone, he could only stare at the ceiling in frustration as he soaked. What had made Xie Lian’s fingers twitch that one time? What had made him blush that other time? What had swept him off his feet? 

What was Hua Cheng doing wrong?

Between the heat of the water and the plumes of steam wicking off its surface, Hua Cheng’s body temperature was rising to a steady, buzzing warmth– an unnatural feeling for his cold, dead body these days, but an effective one nonetheless. The heat, the fatigue, and the discouragement were all creeping up on him, pulling at the edges of his racing thoughts and slowing their breakneck speed to a crawl; even now, Hua Cheng could feel dark, muffled edges closing in about his consciousness, and he released a weary sigh of defeat as they finally overtook him.

Gege… what do you want?

The hazy dark carried Hua Cheng for a while, floating outside the measure of time in that space between waking and sleep. He might have stayed there all night and gone as wrinkly with bathwater as a strange, blanched prune, had he not stirred at a distant sensation on his scalp: a trickle of water snaking along it, and a warm pressure on the nape of his neck.

His eye flew open, surging to wakefulness with a start– only to meet a familiar hand, laying soft over his forehead.

“Whoa, there– haha… It’s okay,” Xie Lian whispered, now coming into focus above Hua Cheng, backlit by the glowing lamplight suspended from the bath’s ceiling. His eyes crinkled with affection, and he withdrew his hand momentarily to sweep it through the water, reheating it thoroughly with a small burst of spiritual energy. “I’m just washing your hair for you. Lay back, now.”

Hua Cheng blinked, feeling a bit dazed, but did as he was told, settling back down like a kitten beneath Xie Lian’s hand and nestling into what he realized was the crook of Xie Lian’s elbow– his bare elbow, beaded and flushed with bathwater. Hua Cheng peered back up at his husband through lashes that still felt treacherously heavy. He hadn’t even heard Xie Lian enter and undress, let alone felt him slip into the bath. Gods, he really was losing his game.

“Gege…”

“Mm-hm…” Xie Lian crooned, and raised a cupped hand to Hua Cheng’s widow’s peak, letting the handful of water spill through his fingers into slick, soapy hair. “Gege’s here.”

And oh, Hua Cheng was only a man, after all. A dead man, sure– but death had never stopped true love before, and sure as hell didn’t now.

He went momentarily still with emotion, then melted in his gege's arms as those fingers worked in gentle circles over his scalp, combing through to the ends where they floated like inky kelp in the water. Hua Cheng practically purred with sleepy delight, his prior worries nearly forgotten, or at least pushed aside for the time being; in his defense, it was difficult to pay any mind to possible insecurities when Xie Lian was right here, actively giving him better things to think about. The feeling of His Highness’ hands on him had always been nothing short of divine– far superior to ascension, in Hua Cheng’s experience. In them, he could feel the strength of the sword and the tenderness of the flower, supporting as well as softening Hua Cheng like earthy red clay between his palms.

Xie Lian glided about him in the water, stirring it with his lean body as he trailed soaps and oils down Hua Cheng’s whipcord torso and long legs, leaving no inch of the pale skin unattended. Usually, Hua Cheng would have liked to have tidied his true form up a bit before Xie Lian arrived home, but he would very happily take what attention he was gifted. Besides, after a whole week away, he was hyper aware of how long it had been since they’d last had this luxury– unkempt or no, he would be hard-pressed to squander it now.

“Mmm… You next, Your Highness.”

“There’s no need. I’m not that dirty, and San Lang is obviously tired.”

“Am not.”

Xie Lian scoffed. “Oh, please, of course you are. You’re not even teasing. I was half-expecting you to start up about me taking advantage of ‘this poor husband,’ all alone and vulnerable in the bath.”

“My, my– you came up with that yourself? Gege’s mind is so perverted.”

Xie Lian sent a playful splash to Hua Cheng’s chest at that, though he wasn’t above chuckling along good-naturedly as he drifted back to Hua Cheng’s side, settling into the crook of his neck like a puzzle piece sliding into place.

“How was San Lang’s mission?”

Hua Cheng grunted, stirring slightly to enfold Xie Lian into his embrace. “Oh, that nonsense– annoying, mostly. Nothing I couldn’t handle. If anything, I’m surprised they even kept up the nerve for so long. And the heavens?”

“Oh, you know,” Xie Lian sighed. “Eventful. Challenging. But I had tonight to look forward to, so nothing I couldn’t bear for that.”

Hua Cheng’s dead heart sang as he stroked the crown of Xie Lian’s head, unable to resist laying a kiss on the fine brown hair clinging to his scalp. He breathed in as he did, feeling swept away by the faint scent of incense, the floral oil of the bath mingling in with Xie Lian’s natural essence, far sweeter and more intoxicating than any wine in the three realms.

He breathed out long and slow through his mouth, still pressing partly open to Xie Lian’s wet hair. “I missed you, gege.”

Xie Lian shifted under his chin, nudging the tip of his nose against the place where Hua Cheng’s pulse would be dancing joyously, were he alive. “Mmm… I missed you, too.”

Hua Cheng was slightly more awake by the time the water started to go cool again, though not awake enough to protest against Xie Lian scooping him up like a princess and carrying him straight to the wide expanse of their bed, both of them leaving behind trails of bathwater and ridiculous laughter. Impossible affection bloomed in Hua Cheng’s chest as Xie Lian carefully placed him down– on a pre-laid layer of towels, he realized, one that he hadn’t noticed when he stumbled in earlier that evening. This must have been Xie Lian’s doing, upon coming in and seeing his husband dead asleep in the bath like an old man. 

Gege, my gege… too good to me, Hua Cheng murmured in his mind, complying willingly as Xie Lian laid him out on the bed with little more than a press of two fingers on his chest. 

Once there, Xie Lian got straight to work, tugging the ends of one towel up around Hua Cheng’s waist and rubbing gently to and fro. Instinctively, Hua Cheng went docile in his arms, even letting a quiet giggle of contentment bubble up through his nose. As Xie Lian’s hands traveled, the laugh thinned to a soft sigh, then to faint, wispy sounds of pleasure leaking out of Hua Cheng as he let himself be moved around the bed like a rag doll. In truth, the feeling was oddly soothing after such a long time apart; he already knew there was nowhere safer in the world than his gege’s arms, and now his body was singing odes to that truth all on its own.

Still warm and half-damp from the bath, Hua Cheng felt… sensitive, in a way he couldn’t quite place. Each brush of a finger had him shivering, each accidental scrape of a nail plucking a taut string deep in his core– and in reply, he gradually became aware of Xie Lian’s breaths coming in slower, heavier with each passing moment. It was… very little like past encounters that had started in the same way. Typically, Hua Cheng would have done most of his usual showboating by now, and Xie Lian would have already folded like a paper lotus beneath his touch. Here, there was no performance, no clever art of seduction– nothing at all like their usual fare. And yet… that little bit of unnamed similarity was moving so powerfully in Hua Cheng that he found he hardly minded.

Hua Cheng might have wondered a little more at that, if he’d been afforded any time to do so. Instead, he was gently tugged upright as a toweled hand began sliding up his back, and Hua Cheng had rumbled a satisfied sound low in his throat, drooping his chin over Xie Lian’s shoulder to press a dreamy, open kiss to the crook of his neck– and Xie Lian shivered hard, sucking in a very telling breath.

Hua Cheng’s eye flew open– oh. So that’s how it was.

Now that he was sitting up, and more or less in Xie Lian’s lap, he could feel it, too: a slight hardness, shyly nudging against his inner thigh– so, so close to his own length that the knowledge alone made it stir in reply.

Hua Cheng barely had a moment to spare for surprise before Xie Lian was laughing nervously, tensing as if to draw away. “Hah– I’m sorry, San Lang– it’s been a while, and I must be over-excited. Please, don’t pay it any mind.”

Hua Cheng felt a stillness settle over him, weighing down his limbs with shock. “Gege is… excited?” he puzzled. “But I… I didn’t even do anything.”

In this position, Hua Cheng couldn’t read Xie Lian’s expression, couldn’t tell if he was ashamed or enamored, disgusted or intrigued– luckily, despite his shyness, Xie Lian would never withhold the truth. 

Hua Cheng felt the circle of Xie Lian’s arms tighten around him as he puffed an embarrassed laugh, though he couldn’t seem to find it in himself to pull away. 

“You don’t need to do anything, San Lang,” he admitted softly, pressing one cheek to Hua Cheng’s shoulder. “It’s just… it’s just you.”

That taut string somewhere in Hua Cheng rang again– he was feeling heavy inside, from his core out to his limbs, ladensome like fruit left to ripen too long– and yet, tingling from his fingertips, sneaking up the nape of his damp neck, he itched…

“Besides, I like it when… ah, when you’re like this,” Xie Lian rasped in Hua Cheng’s ear and drew one meandering finger up the length of his spine– perhaps unaware of the powerful need that was overtaking Hua Cheng, or perhaps very aware, despite how his own voice shook. “I like it when you’re not trying at all– when you just… need me.”

The snap was as instantaneous as an arrow releasing from its bowstring. Hua Cheng froze, then shuddered as though he had suffered a death blow from the inside and made a throaty sound like a wounded animal. Lurching forward, his arms wound about Xie Lian’s waist like a vise, pulling him flush against his torso and burying his face into that fair neck.

“Gege…” he whined, ignoring the awkward way their legs tangled in favor of latching onto a particularly tender spot and suckling hard for a long, hungry moment before releasing it with a smack. “Tell me… tell me again, gege– what do you like?”

Xie Lian’s head fell back, craning to an angle that looked almost uncomfortable to allow Hua Cheng’s lips to roam over his collarbones. “I– ah– I like it when… when you want me badly… I like when you can’t h-help it,” he stammered, his ribs expanding and contracting haltingly in Hua Cheng’s hold. “I like it when you hold me l-like… like–”

He broke off to gasp once, high and wet in his throat, when Hua Cheng’s hands abruptly dropped to squeeze hard at the crease of his hips, the sound then tapering into a weak whimper as he rolled his groin forward in a clumsy rut against Hua Cheng’s abdomen. Hua Cheng quickly took full advantage of his new grip, tugging open his legs and pulling Xie Lian to straddle one firm thigh. At this angle, Xie Lian could rut to his heart’s content– and he enthusiastically did, to Hua Cheng’s mounting satisfaction.

“Like– ah– like what–?” Hua Cheng pleaded, his voice rough and desperate about the edges as he groped at those pillow-soft thighs, mouthed the remaining bathwater off the swell of his chest. “How do you like me to hold you, Your Highness? Tell me, tell me–”

“Like– like you need to–” Xie Lian all but whispered into the damp, dark hair. “Like you’ll die if you don’t.”

Hua Cheng snarled into the crook of his neck, clutching Xie Lian impossibly closer, squeezing him as though he could pass Xie Lian’s body into his by sheer force of will. 

“Want you–” he muttered, and ground his hardening cock into the crook of Xie Lian’s hip. “Want you so bad, gege–”

Xie Lian laughed a little stupidly at that, just on the sillier side of ‘too loud’– and oh, Hua Cheng needed him, needed the hysterical, flustered joy that his husband buzzed with no matter how many times they made love, needed the hot embrace of his insides pulling Hua Cheng into him, over and over–

“I know– ah, I know, my love– oh, you’re so sweet like this…” Xie Lian was panting lightly in between words, trying to catch his breath as he answered– a fruitless effort considering where his shaking hands were now pulling Hua Cheng’s: down the small of his back, cresting the swell of his ass, then guiding him to stroke shyly at the crease there. “Come here… take me, San Lang– come take what you need…”

With that, Xie Lian– precious, mild-mannered, wonderful Xie Lian– gripped Hua Cheng tightly about wrists as he rolled his hips back and down, effectively pushing Hua Cheng’s hands full of supple, waiting flesh– and Hua Cheng couldn’t have resisted even if he wanted to.

A ravenous growl split his throat as he flexed his hands once, then squeezed hard enough so that even his fingerprints would be marked on Xie Lian’s skin. It was too late to give any thought to suaveness and seduction; the hunger had already clawed its way up and out of him, driving the motion of his hips, setting the course of Hua Cheng’s mouth along Xie Lian’s neck and shoulders like he was trying to eat him alive, much to Xie Lian’s audible delight.

Need you, need you… Need you, gege…

The subconscious prayer echoed relentlessly in Hua Cheng’s mind as they writhed together, so starved for each other’s closeness that all else disappeared: when a towel tangled about one leg, Hua Cheng tore it free and hurled it across the room with a hiss, surging back to reclaim Xie Lian’s mouth; when one of Xie Lian’s knees slipped off the edge of the mattress and pitched him sharply to the side, he mewled miserably and clung to Hua Cheng’s shoulders, scrambling back up his body like he was scaling a tree.

By now, they had both reached full hardness and had begun to leak shamelessly onto each other. No matter how out of his mind he felt, Hua Cheng was never too far gone to miss the sight of Xie Lian’s cock sliding along his. It was shapely and elegant, flushed a precious rosy pink, and it nudged so prettily against his own length: swollen thick, head flared with arousal, veins striating blue beneath the marble-pale skin– as with so many things that came from Xie Lian, Hua Cheng found himself repeatedly coaxed from his dead state back into a semblance of life. 

Some might call it a mockery, all things considered. Hua Cheng called it an act of god.

And oh, the need-  the very feeling of it was so powerful that Hua Cheng had practically forgotten why it had been such a long time in the first place. Gone were his fears and anxieties, so effortlessly extinguished by the wave of Xie Lian’s hand. However, all the time he’d spent marinating in that headspace had left him with quite a lot of brainstorming, and as yet, zero outlet. 

Now that the dam had effectively burst, every touch, every tease, every bit of foreplay that Xie Lian had ever loved was speeding half-crazed through Hua Cheng’s mind– while outwardly, he carried each one out in a frenzy of devotion, one after the other, hardly affording Xie Lian a moment’s breath between them.

He darted wildly all across Xie Lian’s body, biting red and purple marks along his collarbones one moment, then dropping to lap and suckle insistently at his pink nipples the next; and again, no sooner had he pinned Xie Lian’s wrists above his head to kiss him senseless then he hastily released them again, only to dive downward and mouth at the smooth vee of Xie Lian’s groin, dragging his hands greedily along any skin he could reach. Such rapid fire pleasures were drawing a symphony of feverish, unintelligible sounds from Xie Lian’s lips; with this vigor and the speed at which Hua Cheng was moving, it was all Xie Lian could do to grip at the sheets and try not to get dizzy from the sheer whiplash of it all.

Still, however bewildered, Xie Lian had little other choice than to cry out and lurch forward when a sudden feeling of searing heat enveloped his groin– Hua Cheng, ever a man of single-minded focus, had forgone the teasing altogether, and swallowed Xie Lian’s pretty cock to straight to the root. His face now tucked neatly between those legs, Hua Cheng was fighting quite valiantly against the tide of orgasm just from that feeling alone. His chin nudged the delicate skin of Xie Lian’s balls, his nose buried in the fine pubic hair. Despite his inner battle, Hua Cheng couldn’t resist a deep inhale, and very nearly lost against the combined smell and taste that overwhelmed his senses: remnants of the bath in his nose, mingling with the musk on his tongue, the feeling of Xie Lian’s cock all silky and firm, sitting so perfectly snug in his throat like it had been fucking made to form.

“San L-L-Lang– oh, S-San L– oh…!”

Hua Cheng drew back with an appreciative hum, sucking hard all the way, only releasing his mouthful with an obscene pop off the reddened head when he realized he had been neglecting Xie Lian’s soft lower belly all this time, and no, no, that wouldn’t do…

“Gege, gege… so beautiful, so divine…” he mumbled madly, pressing the praise like flowers to a page as he kissed and nosed intently along the cushiony flesh below Xie Lian’s navel. “Gods, you taste like heaven, gege…”

Xie Lian was shivering below him, so hard his breaths sounded more like a string of adorable little hiccups. However, he found the strength to wind his hands into Hua Cheng’s thoroughly re-tangled hair, and tug lightly to meet his gaze.

“Not yet, not yet– I– I need–” Xie Lian’s face was violently red and his plush lower lip trembled pleadingly; fuck, Hua Cheng could have keened with soulful compassion at the sight– considering how far gone he was, he honestly might have done. The workings of his heart and his mouth were running full-speed on the same track; as such, it was hard to ascertain what he was merely thinking, and what was spilling from his lips in real time. Perhaps it was both.

Oh gege, gege, my poor gege– tell me, tell me–  

“What do you need? Beloved… tell your San Lang…”

Xie Lian swallowed hard and wriggled his hips down the bed a bit, wincing when his oversensitive cock grazed Hua Cheng’s hip.

“I need– inside–”

As ever, all Xie Lian needed to do was break the ice– just as soon as the words left his mouth, he melted, as if some invisible barrier had simply given way, and from there, he could beg as freely as he wished, pushing his core up urgently against Hua Cheng’s groin as if he could take his cock in straight through his belly.

“Inside– oh, quick, quick– San Lang, help me–!”

The plea shot through Hua Cheng directly to his cock; he cursed under his breath as he grabbed it firmly by the base and willed off the heavy throbs that had very nearly prevented him from fulfilling His Highness’ wish. A few measured breaths were of meager help, but thankfully grounded him enough to lean over Xie Lian, kissing him passionately in assent.

Yes… Yes, yes, Your Highness, I will–

“–I will...!”

The moment of clarity soon buckled beneath the sight of Xie Lian splayed out on the crimson bedsheets as Hua Cheng dutifully prepared him. His gege had been eager indeed, willfully relaxing himself around the intrusion of two fingers. The pressure of Hua Cheng inside of him seemed to soothe Xie Lian somewhat, and his whines and moans soon quieted to sighs and pants– Hua Cheng was glad for it, as well as the moment of reprieve to recollect himself, and dedicate his worship as wholeheartedly as Xie Lian deserved. However, before long Xie Lian was spreading himself wider, entreating Hua Cheng through red-bitten lips for “one more, one more, please–” and a strange tingle had danced up Hua Cheng’s spine as he obliged.

Sliding in a third finger, Hua Cheng could feel the way Xie Lian’s body accepted him: first, the hint of resistance against his taut rim, followed by an anticipatory quiver or two– and then, the blessed release, and Hua Cheng’s fingers were sucked into wet, soft heat on all sides. Hua Cheng’s pupil was blown wide, fixed obsessively on the point of entry and marveling at the sensation. It was utter euphoria: reaching into Xie Lian as if to grasp him by the divine core, watching Xie Lian arch and bend under him like a pliable reed around his fingers– 

He hooked his fingers just so, and Xie Lian’s body jumped as one heavy tear rolled from the corner of his eye. His mouth was split in a crooked, watery smile, laid open and breathy around his blissful pants of: “Oh, more… more, more, San Lang, more…!”

Hua Cheng’s mouth quirked into a mad half-smile. Yes, yes–  

“–Yes, Your Highness…” 

The addition of the fourth finger kicked Xie Lian’s pleas back up to wanton cries; all the while, Hua Cheng worked him open, stretching and pushing and singing back to Xie Lian from the bottom of his heart.

Yes… Yes, Your Highness… Let me give you more– let me give you–

“–everything… Oh, gege… I’ll give you everything–!”  

It hadn’t taken much convincing for Hua Cheng to give in to Xie Lian’s urgent insistence that he was ready– in truth, Hua Cheng was feeling equally impatient. When he lined up his slickened cock and pushed steadily in, the effect was as instant and profound as ever, only now heightened to an otherworldly level by their time apart and his own acute eagerness to please. Hua Cheng hissed as the head of his cock just slipped past the rim, before being graciously accepted: the slick, silken walls of Xie Lian’s insides parted around him, gripping at his length as soon as the rim gave way. Immediately, white-hot pleasure was crackling like summer heat lightning straight up Hua Cheng’s spine, webbing out to all his limbs until his entire body tingled. 

Beneath him, Xie Lian was no better; his wet eyelashes glittered with shed tears like points on a star, and his mouth was frozen open in a tremulous, silent cry as he was slowly, lovingly breached. Hua Cheng nearly came early at that sight alone, but forged on with several steadying breaths– and eventually, he shuddered heavily and groaned, dropping his head between his shoulder blades as he fully sheathed himself. 

“Ah– Your Highness…”  Normally, Hua Cheng prided himself on his eloquence, but it all was long gone in place of that rich heat pulling his cock in with such care, such need that Hua Cheng truly felt as though he was being fully embraced at the root.

“Ah, yes… San Lang…” came Xie Lian’s hoarse whisper; when Hua Cheng looked up, he saw Xie Lian’s mouth hanging open in euphoria, his brows drawn up into a steep arch as though weeping. He had settled somewhat with the weight of his husband’s cock buried deep inside him– but his expression and the shivers of excitement wracking his body gave away just how keyed up he still was. “Oh, please… please…”

Hua Cheng chuckled shakily, lowering to press an open kiss to the corner of Xie Lian’s mouth and smiling at his husband’s answering sigh. Xie Lian didn’t even have to ask.

After one final kiss of his hip bones to the plush underside of Xie Lian’s ass, Hua Cheng drew back, then thrust forward in one deep, grinding circle. Instantly, that same rush of ecstasy seized him by the groin, urging Hua Cheng too close to the edge of climax far too soon. He gritted his teeth and forced his pace to slow further still; even in the haze of intense pleasure, he knew better than to pick up the pace so early. They were both far too close, and he would sooner die before failing to give His Highness everything he so dearly needed.

Hua Cheng braced himself, and rolled his hips again deliberately, rocking Xie Lian’s body up and down on the bed, again and again; each movement punched a rising “ah!” out of him, pitching up to euphoric little whimpers as he slid in the crimson sheets. Hua Cheng was shuddering, panting, as affected by the sight of Xie Lian in ecstasy below him as he was by the feeling of that tight heat he was driving into. His gege really was so beautiful in pleasure: streaked all over by wild swipes of blush, chest heaving, face blissful and unguarded, spreading himself wide open with abandon while he laid back and took what he was given. He looked like pure heaven and pure sin at once, and Hua Cheng was love-drunk on it.

I’m yours, my beloved, only yours… Take me, oh, take me…

A greedy feeling alighted in Hua Cheng at the thought, compelling him to change his angle, thrust harder– and now, Xie Lian’s eyes were flying open and filling with new, hot tears at the direct pressure on that magical place inside him. When he hoisted his legs behind Hua Cheng’s back and hooked his ankles, Hua Cheng could clearly see the way his hole fluttered and suckled at the base of his cock, opening around it gladly– and then, upon every return, it kept stretching, embracing Hua Cheng again and again…

Hua Cheng’s breath unexpectedly stuck heavy and thick in his throat, and his eye pricked; as profoundly as he was offering himself, Xie Lian was taking him– pulling him in, wanting him. There was the proof of it, right before his eye: Xie Lian’s most sensitive place, pulsing hot and willing and hungry around Hua Cheng’s most sensitive part.

Hua Cheng was momentarily struck speechless by emotion, and hadn’t realized his thrusts had subconsciously picked up and grown rougher until Xie Lian cried out in praise and clenched tightly around him. Hua Cheng ground a guttural, animal groan out of his throat as he drove harder, faster–

Yes, yes, Your Highness, let me– oh, let me–!

Xie Lian was thoroughly worked up again, rolling his hips with the rhythm Hua Cheng had set and fighting for air, but judging by his freshly welling eyes, it wasn’t yet enough. Hua Cheng had seen him this way many times before; his husband always got so fussy whenever he needed it rough. He squirmed and writhed under Hua Cheng’s quickening movements, his voice pitching higher and higher with desperation– oh, Hua Cheng could feel it, could feel Xie Lian’s hole squeezing his cock in needy flutters, as if pleading with him– until eventually, Xie Lian could bear it no longer, and burst into a pitiful sob.

“S-San Lang-gege– save me–!”

Hua Cheng’s breath caught violently– oh, sometimes he really was a very, very weak man. His eye sharpened like a bird of prey, his cock throbbed hard, his body consumed by heat like Xie Lian had struck a flint and set him alight.

Swiftly shifting back to kneeling, Hua Cheng seized Xie Lian fiercely about the waist, and hoisted him up off the bed to straddle his thighs, before pulling him down hard onto his cock as he thrust upward with passion. Just above his line of sight, Xie Lian cried out openly, and Hua Cheng felt a few hot teardrops spatter his shoulder.

“Y-yes– yes– again, agai– ah–!”

Hua Cheng answered by slamming back into Xie Lian before he could ask twice, Xie Lian’s words devolving into a plaintive wail. Panting hoarsely, Hua Cheng began bouncing Xie Lian in his lap, punctuating each slap with a pointed, brutal thrust straight home. If his husband wanted rough, then he’d have that and more; everything Hua Cheng had to give, Xie Lian would get. There would be plenty of other days for indulgent, unhurried sex later– his prince needed him now.

With that, Hua Cheng set their merciless pace, moaning grateful nonsense into the hollow of Xie Lian’s neck and pounding into him while Xie Lian held on for dear life; he scrabbled at Hua Cheng’s shoulders with one hand, the other tangling in his dark hair in a vain attempt to steady himself. It hardly mattered– with Hua Cheng in full control of his body, there was little Xie Lian could do but go limp in his arms, and let Hua Cheng carry him to paradise.

Hua Cheng hissed and slammed in again with a telltale throb– the very idea was making him twitch in Xie Lian’s hole, which in turn made Xie Lian clench even more around him. To know that His Highness trusted Hua Cheng with his body, with his pleasure… the thought was almost more than he could bear, and it was sending him hurtling toward the edge with dangerous, dizzying speed.

Though, apparently, he was towing Xie Lian right along with him, as he recognized the delicious tremor beginning to take root in Xie Lian’s belly.

Oh, yes, Your Highness… come for me, come for me–

“–Come for me– come on, come on…”

Hua Cheng knew each one of Xie Lian’s cues by heart, had studied them meticulously. Looking up, he could see Xie Lian’s mouth lolling, his head flailing, teary eyes half-lidded and staring blindly into space as he was fucked hard– and speaking back to him, Hua Cheng realized, in reply to his urging grunts.

“Y-yes, yes, yes– oh, gege– give it to me–!” he begged, far past the point of pride, the pitch and volume of his voice swaying wildly with the motion of his body. “Give it to me, I n-need it– give me all of it– please, gege, please!”

“Fuck–” Hua Cheng snarled, throwing Xie Lian back to the bed and pulling his legs onto his shoulders, taking only a moment to rebalance his weight before he was pistoning his hips again, meeting Xie Lian’s ass with audible smacks. Xie Lian wildly felt for the headboard above him, pressing weakly against it to meet Hua Cheng’s thrusts mid-way, weeping lines of hot, fresh tears into his hairline. He was close, incredibly close– Hua Cheng could tell. His entire body was taut as a bowstring, his nipples hardened to precious little buds on his chest, his sweet, blushing cock jerking helplessly on his abdomen– and yet, he made no move to reach for it himself. Another clear cue that Hua Cheng was all too happy to fulfill.

Fighting back his own impending orgasm, Hua Cheng took Xie Lian in hand and stroked him firmly in time with a few decided thrusts against his prostate: once, twice, and then, that delicious third was all it took– Xie Lian went rapturously still for a split second, before spasming violently from deep in his core as his cock jumped and spurted all over his belly, choking on throaty, wet moans and calls of Hua Cheng’s name.

Between that sight, and the feeling of Xie Lian squeezing him so deliciously, practically begging to milk his cock dry, Hua Cheng physically couldn’t hold on any longer. With a final broken shout that knocked his head back and exposed his neck gleaming with sweat, he clutched Xie Lian’s hips to his, burying his cock as far as it could go and coming hard in what felt like several heaven-shattering, world-ending waves of pleasure. He spilled thick and hot and aching into Xie Lian, cock pulsing as he filled Xie Lian to the brim– and then, after a straining, pregnant pause, Hua Cheng groaned, low and rough and gratified- and kept moving.

“Y-yes-s- hic– yes, gege– that’s it… oh, th-that’s it…” Xie Lian’s warbling voice floated to Hua Cheng’s ears, urging him on as Hua Cheng continued grinding into Xie Lian in achingly slow, deliberate circles, working his come deeper into him with every push. The room went quieter and quieter, the silence broken only by the diminishing music of their lovemaking: low, wet, sucking sounds of giving and taking, Xie Lian’s shaky sniffles of pleasure, and Hua Cheng’s heart and body singing his prince's praises loud and clear.

Take it… Take it, beloved… Take all you need, please–

“–Take it…”

Take me, take me–

“–Take me, take me– Your Highness…!”

Oh, gege… Take all of me.

As expected, Xie Lian had been delighted with Hua Cheng’s devotions, but just as impatient as Hua Cheng was for more– by the time they finally collapsed side by side, they’d thoroughly undone the benefits of their bath only a few hours ago.

Hua Cheng’s eye had fluttered shut with exhaustion, facing the expanse of Xie Lian’s sweat-streaked back, but he smiled dreamily as he felt Xie Lian’s hand fumbling blindly back for him. He chuckled and slid forward, pulling Xie Lian flush to his broad chest and beginning to trail lazy kisses at the nape of his neck.

“Gege is insatiable– what a wild beast,” he teased, making sure to punctuate his words with a playful nip. Xie Lian squirmed against him with a sleepy giggle, to which Hua Cheng gave an affectionate squeeze. “This poor husband didn’t stand a chance against your wiles.”

“Well, with San Lang begging so desperately…” Xie Lian snickered. “How could this husband have denied him? You know I can never say no to you, anyway.”

Hua Cheng broke his kiss to bark a loud, incredulous laugh. “Hah–! Oh, I don’t know about that, it seems like Your Highness has had a very easy and enjoyable time saying no to me as of late. Hmph– so cruel.”

“Now, don’t tell me San Lang wants me to stop playing with him,” Xie Lian scoffed as he reached backward to attack Hua Cheng’s bare hip with tickles. “I thought he liked getting toyed with just as much as he liked toying with me–!”

Hua Cheng squawked ungracefully into Xie Lian’s shoulder before taking swift revenge on Xie Lian’s extra ticklish, perfectly exposed lower belly. For a moment or two, the pair conceded to gleeful wriggles and near-wheezes, the otherwise quiet room bubbling with laughter. When Hua Cheng finally withdrew, Xie Lian took a beat to catch his breath; then, blinking once or twice, he rolled over to face Hua Cheng with a slight furrow in his brow.

“I… I do hope I didn’t upset San Lang all these weeks,” he continued, his fingers coming to fidget with the red pearl in Hua Cheng’s hair. “I really thought it was just a little game, but then when we finally– um… well, we were both pretty pent up by the end.”

He blushed furiously and averted his eyes, and Hua Cheng found himself torn between adoration and concern. He reached forward, enclosing Xie Lian’s hand in his own and raising it to press against his lips encouragingly.

“No, I wasn’t upset, gege,” he assured, though maybe with a hint of white lie. He had been upset, just… maybe a little irrationally so, in hindsight. “I only wanted to know what pleases you best, that’s all. It just happened to be a much harder task than I anticipated.”

Xie Lian laughed softly, the sound tinged with a bit of disbelief. “Well– isn’t it obvious?”

Hua Cheng blinked, searching Xie Lian’s expression for a hint. When he found none, Xie Lian only laughed again with a sparkle in his eye that matched the coy smile he was sporting.

“Ah, but my San Lang is so clever,” he cooed, freeing his hand to tuck a stray piece of sweaty hair behind Hua Cheng’s ear, and tracing one fond fingertip along the brow above his missing eye. “Surely he can work out why his gege was able to resist every form but one…?”

The gears turned for a moment or two– when they finally clicked into place, Hua Cheng’s face went slack with shock. Surely Xie Lian couldn’t mean…

… This one?

Hua Cheng could only stare numbly for a few more moments– so much so that Xie Lian looked like he was about to give Hua Cheng a worried poke to see if he’d accidentally slipped beyond the veil again. Thankfully, Hua Cheng remembered how to speak just in time, albeit poorly.

“But– but it’s–” he stammered clumsily. “It’s not very muscular. Not as muscular as Xiao Hua, surely.”

Xie Lian cocked his head, seeming not to follow. “Oh? Well, perhaps not, but–”

“And it’s not my prettiest one, either–” Hua Cheng was already continuing, his tone taking on a level of insistence that was born from a young, stinging corner of his heart. “The form from the Gambler’s Den was much more alluring, don’t you think?”

Xie Lian shrugged one shoulder. “Eh, not particularly– oh, n-not that you weren’t alluring like that, too–! It’s just– ah, how do I say it…?” He broke off to rub his forehead, visibly wracking his mind for the proper words.

“It’s more like…” he explained slowly. “All those forms, they seem more like… versions of you. Different parts of you that you’ve broken off into all these little pieces– and they’re still you, so of course I love them all! But this one…” 

Xie Lian’s warm brown eyes drifted down Hua Cheng’s person– all cold, dead skin and hollow places and naked imperfection– and glowed like evening lamplight.

“This one is all you– all those pieces put together,” he murmured. When his eyes flicked back up to Hua Cheng’s stunned face, he guided one of those pale hands to his fondly smiling mouth, sealing each word with a kiss on each fingertip.

“The strongest… the most alluring… the most precious of them all.”

Hua Cheng drew in a labored breath. His eye swam, his chest ached – he felt frozen in place, tenderly immobilized beneath the brush of Xie Lian’s lips, marveling all over again at the overwhelming power of his love. How did Xie Lian… do this? Of course, he knew his god to be capable of great love. Hua Cheng himself had long since devoted his afterlife to offering up his own fierce, bewildering heart– but Xie Lian, who was so pure, and so good– how could he take that love so effortlessly, without any fear at all?

“San Lang, help me…”

A light shiver skimmed Hua Cheng’s body as he recalled Xie Lian’s lustful, but ultimately earnest plea just a while earlier. For Xie Lian to ask for what he wanted was no small feat– Hua Cheng had witnessed how hard he had wrestled with it firsthand. No, it wasn’t that there was no fear; more that Xie Lian knew he could safely reach for him, and Hua Cheng would be there, no matter the cost. It wasn’t that Hua Cheng was only fierce, just as Xie Lian wasn’t only pure; Hua Cheng was also gentle, and Xie Lian, also human.

Beneath all the glamor, the menace, the mischief, Hua Cheng’s truest self remained, and clearly, so did Xie Lian’s– neither of them for the absence of fear, but rather, in spite of it. 

You, and not the state of you.

Xie Lian’s thumb appeared on the outskirts of Hua Cheng’s blurry vision, brushing at the corner of his eye to wipe away the tear Hua Cheng hadn’t realized was escaping.

“I want all of you, San Lang. Not only the little pieces,” Xie Lian whispered, shuffling forward to tangle their legs and press their foreheads together until their bodies formed a curious, lopsided circle on their bed. “I want every part of you at once; as much as I can take for as long as I can– and for as long as you’re willing to give.”

Hua Cheng released a slightly sniffly laugh, a comically human sound coming from the world’s most fearsome Ghost King. “Gege, if you want another round, you don’t have to write me poetry– all you have to do is say so.”

Xie Lian threw back his head and laughed. “Haha–! Well…” he sing-songed, nuzzling the tip of their noses together teasingly. “How long does that gracious offer stand…?”

Hua Cheng toyed idly with the fine chain about Xie Lian’s neck, and chuckled with a hint of his characteristic mischief, a bit more bolstered confidence– and of course, all the same boundless, abiding love. “Would ‘forever’ do for you?” he asked simply.

Xie Lian beamed as bright as the sun, and smacked a big, wet kiss to Hua Cheng’s forehead. “Yes. ‘Forever’ would do very nicely.”