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“Dog, dog, dog!”
It wasn’t hard for Jin Ling to piece it together as he heard the shrill scream. Seeing Wei Wuxian retreat with arms high in the air after the smoke cleared confirmed his suspicion. It was why the ground felt closer and his robes laid on the stone path instead of on him.
Jin Ling sneezed as the coiling smoke continued to die down. His head shook violently from side to side, leaving his feet to grip tightly into the ground to hold him still. Changed or not, Jin Ling was too accustomed to his own limbs to slip, even if the amount of feet he had doubled.
It was Wei Wuxian’s own fault for causing such a situation. Running away from what he created felt humourous; if only Jin Ling could still laugh normally. Finding himself in the middle of the fallout of one of Wei Wuxian’s inventions wasn’t how Jin Ling had planned his birthday, but he had some blame in accepting a ‘wishing talisman’ as a gift.
Poking around the ground with one front paw pushed around his fallen robes. Jin Ling’s sigh came out as a whine as he struggled to stop himself from lamenting about his situation. His plans, the whole reason for his visit and who he wanted to visit, would all be put on hold until he figured out how to fix his situation; wrangling the person responsible into helping him would likely take more effort than Jin Ling had in him.
Maintaining his own mind or not he was still a dog; an exhausted dog.
Spinning around at the sound of approaching steps, Jin Ling felt his spirits brighten. Annoying or not, Jingyi was one of the better people to find him. With Jin Ling still standing in the middle of his robes, enough context clues surrounded the scene for any person without a fear of dogs to catch on. Jin Ling would accept the jokes and future teasing if it meant at least someone would understand and help him.
“There is a dog!” Jingyi exclaimed in amazement. His hands glued themselves to his hips as he bent forward, inspecting the scene. His lips moved from side to side on his face, holding Jin Ling in excruciating suspense.
Snapping back up, Jingyi plastered on a wide grin and extended his arms. “Alright then, follow me and I’ll bring you down the mountain.”
Taking a step back, Jin Ling refused to believe his ears. It was impossible not to understand what he was looking at. Jin Ling wasn’t some random dog that somehow snuck in just to scare Wei Wuxian or break the rules.
Yet with Jingyi’s continued gentle approach, patting his knees as if Jin Ling would come at command, he wasn’t seen as more than a stray. Any animal breaking Cloud Recesses’ no pets rule would get kicked out, or at best given to some old farmer couple to chase pests. It would separate Jin Ling from those who likely knew how to reverse the transformation, cursing him to deal with fleas for the rest of his life.
It was a short eternity he refused to accept.
Bowing his head to lure Jingyi closer, Jin Ling tensed his back legs, watching each movement closely. He had one chance to get away, one chance to save himself. Jin Ling just had to run and hope he wouldn’t be outpaced.
Latching his jaws around Suihua’s sheath, Jin Ling twisted around and bolted. The immediate coordination of his feet surprised him. They snapped to attention without much need for adjustment, allowing him to speed down the path and dive through shrubs.
Jin Ling knew not to look back. It would only slow him down or cause his mind to second guess his plan. Jingyi could shout all he wanted, Jin Ling wouldn’t be caught.
Running through gardens, weaving through stunned disciples and jumping fences, Jin Ling had no direction but forward. Pushing away from crowds, he needed somewhere secluded to hide and gather himself for a new strategy. Even with the new found energy he had, running all day wasn’t viable. There had to be a place no one would look for him, somewhere he could find at his new lower altitude.
Confused conversations were traded over his head as he pushed through another group of disciples. While their words were careful and quiet, their fingers as they pointed were sharp, filled with a determination Jin Ling wanted to avoid. He refused to be caught by some junior disciple who hadn’t even seen a real nighthunt; he would accept only those with experience and reason at the very least.
Hanguang-Jun was excluded; his icy glare would shave off his remaining dog years.
Taking another sharp corner, Jin Ling pressed his side up against a building. He panted around his sword sheath as he mentally coached himself to keep going. There had to be unoccupied storage rooms he could stow away in, maybe some with materials he could use to write to talk his way out of getting kicked off the mountain.
Panic surged up Jin Ling’s throat as the sound of footsteps approached. Pressing himself tighter, praying he could disappear, he waited. Running was always an option, but not one he wanted to take when the bright face of Sizhui rounded the corner; the very person he had wanted to visit before he grew paws.
“Oh! You must be the one everyone is talking about.” Sizhui laughed in the same beautiful melody he always did. Bright and inviting, it was enough to disarm anyone.
Jin Ling knew the flip of his heart wasn’t from overexertion when it happened. It had always been soft for the other, ready to race in an instant for him. It encouraged his tail to whap against his back legs, a sensation Jin Ling hoped he wouldn’t have to get used to.
With all the grace of a gentleman, Sizhui carefully crouched down, meeting Jin Ling on his level. The warmth in his smile was too much to take directly. Too kind, too wise, it was a core of Sizhui’s essence that made the world feel more comfortable.
Sizhui’s eyes swept him up and down, studying nearly every hair on Jin Ling’s body. The longer Jin Ling stood frozen, the longer his muscles stayed tense, ready with anticipation for the expected reaction.
Sizhui heavily abided by the rules in Cloud Recesses. It would be more than just Jingyi and other disciples trying to chase him out, as head disciple Sizhui had to lead by example and do the same. Jin Ling really didn’t want to live by chasing foxes on a farm.
“Alright then.” A sudden sigh loosened Sizhui’s smile. He leaned forward, stretching his arms just enough to hover around Jin Ling’s fuzzy sides. “Let’s go Buttercup.”
Pointing his snout into the air with shock, Jin Ling was left speechless; more than he already was. Where did Sizhui get the idea to call him buttercup?
The question was dropped as soon as it was asked. It wasn’t as important as being lifted off the ground and swung into Sizhui’s arms. Jin Ling recovered from his stun instantly, squirming with everything he had to break free.
“Be good now.” Sizhui teased with a laugh, not understanding exactly how strong his words were. They rendered Jin Ling useless and his jaw loose, just enough for Sizhui to steal Suihua from his grasp.
Jin Ling yelped the moment he could, demanding his sword back. There was no way he was going to be separated from his one chance at convincing everyone who he was.
Gently hushing another bark, Sizhui rolled his knuckles over Jin Ling’s head. “Don’t give yourself away. You don’t want to get caught, do you?”
Baffled, Jin Ling snapped his mouth shut. Sizhui had captured him easily, yet he wasn’t going to send him out of Cloud Recesses?
Sizhui adjusted his grip and hiked Jin Ling up his shoulder. “Everyone is looking for you, so you should come with me and hide out for a while. You need to be quiet though, okay?” He hummed, relighting his sunny smile. “You can do that right? You’re a good boy, hm?”
A hot wave of embarrassment hit Jin Ling right in the chest when his heart agreed with Sizhui. He was a sect leader, not a regular dog who jumped at the chance for praise. A near condescending compliment shouldn’t make him become so agreeable so quickly.
Taking the silence as an answer, Sizhui peered around the corner of the building. With one hand gripping Jin Ling’s sword and the other holding Jin Ling’s back, pushing him against his chest, he started down the path. Familiar with the area, he swiftly found less used walkways, taking them with careful haste as he never stopped checking around them.
Jin Ling settled his head over Sizhui’s shoulder, choosing to lock his focus on watching behind them and not on the fact that Sizhui’s bicep tightened under him to support his weight. Calling the situation strange would minimize the absurdity of the entire day. He was stuck as a dog, persecuted like a criminal for being in the wrong place at the wrong time, yet it wasn’t all bad.
Being in Sizhui’s arms was soothing. The various hugs he had received from the other through the years had always been comforting, but staying in Sizhui’s arms, protected from everyone who wanted him gone, he felt safe. It was luxurious, feeling like he could forget the existence of worry entirely.
“Here we are…” Sizhui whispered as he adjusted his arms. Carefully reaching out with Suihua still in his hand, Sizhui nudged a nearby door, opening up to an instantly recognizable room.
With a careful bend at his knees, he brought Jin Ling back to the ground. “Don’t worry, you’ll be safe here.” He reassured as he reached behind to shut the door. “No one will dare to check here. Just make sure to stay quiet.”
Subjecting himself to gravity again, Jin Ling hopped out of the gentle hold, reminding himself not to regret the loss. There was no sense in comparing it to the last time he was held, or how long it had been since then. With all the events that day, feeling a sense of remorse for closeness was Jin Ling’s last concern.
Seeing Sizhui’s room from a different perspective was odd. Jin Ling had hardly ever stepped in at his regular height, usually meeting with Sizhui in more common guest spaces. Compared to the modest hospitality he was used to when visiting the sect, Sizhui’s room was even more humble, but Jin Ling would take it any day over anything else.
Moving about with ease, as if he hadn’t just transported a dog from one side of Cloud Recesses to another, Sizhui set Suihua at his desk before rummaging around on a nearby shelf. His hand reached past the few books and scrolls, searching for something he didn’t need to see. His fingers went by touch and intuition, patting around until his smile turned brighter.
Jin Ling nosed closer the moment he picked up the scent. Newly equipped with the heightened sense, Jin Ling also didn’t need his eyes to smell the familiar spices. He knew exactly what Sizhui held inside the small bag that he held up with pride.
“You must be hungry after all that running, aren’t you?” Sizhui posed his question with overdone excitement. He shook the bag, waiting for a response as the contents rustled around.
Jin Ling swore he would turn to stone before he would make a single sound to agree. Locking his jaw and clenching his teeth tightly together, he looked away and rejected the offer. As he was, Jin Ling was a random dog, and there was no way he was going to allow a random dog to eat the dried meat he had bought for Sizhui himself.
Covered in a special spice blend and dried until extra chewy, it had been Jin Ling’s gift to Sizhui from his last trip to Yunmeng. It had been Jin Ling’s self given mission to supply Sizhui with some sort of meat each chance he could. He needed flavour in his life, and meat for strength, both things that Lan cooking sorely lacked. Jin Ling couldn’t just let Sizhui’s taste buds wither away, it would be too cruel.
A dark brown strip of meat pushed up against Jin Ling’s nose without any sign of warning. The smell of salt and spice hit him and his stomach growled; Sizhui wasn’t going to play nice.
“Give it a try! I know you’ll love it as much as I do.” Sizhui’s cheery laughter was next to hit Jin Ling. It wasn’t fair to have such a sweet sound rival the strength he had with a sword in his hand. “Don’t worry, we’ll share it. I can also get you some water.”
Feeling his jaw naturally betray him, Jin Ling’s mouth opened to pant and the flavour danced on his tongue. Unaware if his dog digestion could handle spice or not, giving into the offer was too tempting to ignore for long. Regardless of the shame Jin Ling carried for being in the situation, he carefully grabbed the dried meat out of Sizhui’s fingers with his teeth and gobbled it down in seconds.
It was just as mouth watering as he remembered, perhaps too mouthwatering if the drip of drool down his jowls was any indication.
Jin Ling snapped his jaws back, working with what he could to fix his appearance. He was a dog, but he didn’t have to look scruffy. He owed Sizhui at least something nice to look at as he snapped a piece of meat between his smile.
Chalking all of his actions down to dog instincts and pure survival, Jin Ling chose not to think too hard as he lunged for the offered half eaten treat. It had nothing to do with how it had once been between Sizhui’s lips; nothing at all.
“Eat slowly.” Sizhui chided with a chuckle. “Here, actually chew this one and I’ll get you some water.”
With a quick nod, Jin Ling snatched the last mouthful, attempting to figure out how to chew with such sharp teeth. If he had to live his life as a dog, or even for just an extended period of time, he wouldn’t mind being Sizhui’s dog.
Jin Ling shook his head, internally scolding himself. Becoming complacent with his circumstance was dangerous. He had all of Lanling to think about, he couldn’t give up and live life as someone’s pet. Even if it was a cushy life that involved Sizhui handing him a bowl of water with a smile every day.
Plain water had never tasted so good after all Jin Ling went through that morning. He didn’t need time to figure out how to work his tongue to lap up the water. Thirst was good enough motivation to solve anything.
“There’s more if you need it.” A gentle hum from Sizhui was always soothing. Hardly anything could compete, but his fingers scratching behind Jin Ling’s ears definitely tried. “Just make sure to keep the noise down, okay Buttercup? You can be a good boy and do that, right?”
Inundated with praise and affection, Jin Ling was beginning to understand why dogs turned loyal quickly. Being convinced to bite someone who looked like a threat to the person who showered him with food and kindness sounded reasonable; especially as it wasn’t far off from what Jin Ling already did for Sizhui.
The sound of a sudden knock at the door sent a shiver racing down Jin Ling’s back. His hair stood on end as he readied his back feet. Choosing to run continued being the best option for the state he was in, but he wouldn’t hesitate to fight if the time called for it.
With a slow shake of his head, Sizhui held a finger to his lips before turning toward the door. “Who’s there?”
“It’s me!” In regular circumstances, a general response with no real answer would be rude, but with Jingyi’s excitable voice it wasn’t hard to distinguish him from others. “Everyone is looking for a stray dog that somehow got in! Have you seen anything?”
Sizhui’s pause was palpable. If Jin Ling had maintained the ability to sweat, he knew his forehead would turn glossy as he waited in unbearable suspense.
“Dog?” Sizhui repeated, using the light notes in his voice to his advantage. “I’ve been meditating all morning so I haven’t seen or heard anything.”
Controlling the wag of his tail felt like an impossible task for Jin Ling. Hiding a smile was simple, but when his emotions came through an animated limb, the energy to keep it down was wasted.
“Well,” A frustrated grumble joined Jingyi’s voice. “Keep an eye out. The dog has been running all over the place. Apparently it gave Wei-qianbei enough of a scare that he shut himself inside the Jingshi.”
Nodding regardless if it could be seen or not, Sizhui turned back to Jin Ling, giving a wink. “Of course. If I see or hear anything I’ll inform someone right away.”
Jin Ling stared in silence, wondering if he wasn’t the only one who had changed form that day. When did Sizhui become an expert in telling lies? Was it a skill he ever used on Jin Ling? And when did he learn how to wink?
Every single one of Jin Ling’s questions melted away when Sizhui scratched behind his ears once more. A master in deception, and a master in finding the spots that triggered Jin Ling’s back leg to twitch, Sizhui had it all. While Jin Ling had to threaten his own foot to stay put, Sizhui just smiled, and patted his knee.
It was another offer Jin Ling certainly didn’t jump to take. Laying his head on Sizhui’s leg was just part of the act and in no way related to what he actually wanted; it would be completely absurd.
“You know Buttercup,” Sizhui sighed as his fingers picked up where they had left off around Jin Ling’s jaw. “I may not be able to keep you safe here much longer. I have no doubt they’ll soon begin mandatory inspections of every building.”
Jin Ling huffed at the idea. Knowing how strict the Lan sect was, he didn’t doubt the possibility, but hated the thought of having to move after getting comfortable. Sizhui’s room seemed safe enough. If the worst happened, hiding under or in Sizhui’s bed was always an option and certainly not an aspiration.
A snap of Sizhui’s fingers hurled Jin Ling out of his thoughts. “I know what will work! The rabbits!” Sizhui’s chest puffed out with pride; another sight Jin Ling didn’t want to stop looking at. “If Hanguang-Jun can keep rabbits on the mountain side just out of Cloud Recesses, then I can keep a pet there too!”
Sizhui locked eyes with Jin Ling’s wide puppy dog expression and patted his head. “Don’t worry, it’ll just be until everything clears up, but you have to promise not to chase any of the rabbits.” His set rules came with a wagging finger, one that nearly matched Jin Ling’s tail as it touched the tip of his nose.
And if Jin Ling licked that very finger, dog instincts were entirely to blame.
Gently scooping Jin Ling up in his arms once more, Sizhui fixed his robes with as much care as one could do while unable to use both hands. “Just like before,” He whispered. “Stay quiet and I’ll make sure we get there unharmed.”
Jin Ling twisted in the comforting hold, unable to ease his mind as he stared forlorn at Sizhui’s desk. Suihua laid perfectly still, no signs of a single scratch from being carried in Jin Ling’s teeth. Leaving it behind felt wrong, just like the low whine that stretched up from his throat.
“Oh!” A short gasp morphed Sizhui’s smile and he turned on his heels. “We can’t forget your sword now can we?”
Jin Ling’s body jerked in place as Sizhui’s bent to grab Suihua. He wondered if his ears hadn’t quite grasped working together like his feet did. Sizhui surely didn’t tell a dog he owned Jin Ling’s sword, even if he technically did.
Pushing Jin Ling closer to his chest, Sizhui leaned out of his room door, assessing their surroundings. On an initial glance, the way appeared clear, but echoes of voices still bounced, calling out to the ‘lost dog’. It was nearly insulting by the amount of condescending ways people tried.
Sizhui was quick on his feet, taking the briefest instant of calm to dart out into the walkway. Taking twists and turns Jin Ling didn’t recognize, his strategy kept anyone from being able to look for too long. In just one blink Sizhui had steered them down a different path, and anyone who thought they saw Sizhui holding a big golden dog simply forgot.
Deciding it was better not to interrupt, Jin Ling resumed his perch on Sizhui's shoulder. No one would be able to sneak up behind them on his watch. They made a flawless team, taken out right in their prime as an icy chill ran up Jin Ling’s back.
Sizhui froze mid step. His arms protectively wrapped tighter around Jin Ling, pressing the sheath of his sword against his heat as a futile way to hide him.
Peeping through Sizhui’s fingers, Jin Ling watched the famous Hanguang-Jun close in. Serene and reserved, like an undisturbed lake, his face hardly moved a muscle as he spoke. “Sizhui.” With a heavy greeting he nodded, and Jin Ling shrunk back knowing he was the focus. “Wei Ying needs this dog. He is important.”
Feeling his tail begging to wag wildly, Jin Ling thanked his good fortune for hearing the best sense of the day. It took Wei Wuxian long enough to snap to his senses and realize Jin Ling was more than some dog that tried to wear his robes. If he looked different or not, he was still Jin Ling, the same person who suffered the ‘thoughtfulness’ of Wei Wuxian’s birthday gift.
Jin Ling wriggled in Sizhui’s arms as he looked up for approval. If Sizhui was smart enough to know Jin Ling as a dog wasn’t something to be chased, then surely he understood that he should comply. Running would be a fool’s choice.
Yet Jin Ling found himself bobbing up and down in Sizhui’s arms at full speed. His head rattled around as Sizhui raced down the covered walkway. His panting out matched Jin Ling, heaving as his body worked overtime to carry the additional weight at optimal optimal rate, but it still wasn’t enough. Sizhui needed the use of his arms, he needed to be lighter to be more nimble, he needed Jin Ling to jump down.
Jin Ling landed on the ground with a yelp. Unlike a cat, his legs scrambled and failed to catch him, leaving him to lift himself up with a shake.
Sizhui spun around only a few steps away. He bent to pick him up again, but Jin Ling knew collectively they would be faster on their own. Even if it meant running away from his possible cure, if it was running with Sizhui, then he would sprint like his life depended on it.
Catching on with a laugh, Sizhui turned and waved his arm. “This way! Follow me!” He yelled, adding to his list of broken rules.
A bark naturally came as Jin Ling’s response. After holding himself back from any noise all day, letting it go was freeing. The gruff feeling in his throat encouraged him to bark again and again, and Sizhui answered with a breathless laugh.
“Just a bit more, Buttercup! We’re almost there!” A quick shot of motivation over Sizhui’s shoulder kept them going. They were a stampede of two; unstoppable and unafraid.
As the lush hill dotted with rabbits came into view, Jin Ling could feel his heart sing. They had made it. Through every uncertainty his day was filled with, Sizhui had his back. From Jingyi wanting to take him out of Cloud Recesses, to being searched for and nearly separated, Sizhui had rescued him.
It called for a well deserved rest, one Jin Ling had wanted before he was even transformed into a dog. Traveling to Gusu on his own birthday was done with hopes of getting time with those he wanted to be closer to, and in some way, he got his wish.
In the unexpected adventure, he was given more time with Sizhui than he would have gotten if he stayed as a human. It came with a new side to Sizhui; a cunning, generous, and even more perfect person than Jin Ling expected.
Sizhui landed on the grass next to Jin Ling with a loud sigh as he stretched out his arms. They both deserved a rest, and Sizhui a bit of appreciation for his efforts, which opened an opportunity to use the benefit of being a dog to his advantage.
Worming his way closer, Jin Ling rested his head on Sizhui’s chest and mimicked his sigh. It was just enough of an indication for Sizhui to start scratching behind his ears.
With his heart changing its reasons why it raced, Jin Ling closed his eyes. He soaked in the comfort, celebrating their small victory as the world grew quieter around them.
Sizhui’s fingers danced up to the top of Jin Ling’s head with ease. They rubbed gentle lines up and down between his eyes, gradually coming to a rest at the tip of his nose. “Buttercup?” Sizhui’s whisper tumbled into a laugh, shaking his stomach with it.
Jin Ling responded with a grunt, too comfortable to muster another bark.
“Would you like to take my outer robe?” Sizhui’s voice drifted as gently as his fingers picked back up their soft strokes. “I don’t want you to get cold like this.”
Feeling his brow wiggle at the strange offer, Jin Ling opened his mouth before his eyes: “Why would I want-”
He froze in horror. It was more than the sound of his own voice, it was the familiar coils of smoke he had seen earlier that day that painted a clear image for him.
Pressing into Sizhui’s side as a dog was perfectly acceptable, but against him as a naked man was less defensible.
Retracting his arms around his body could only save him so much shame. “Your outer robe would be appreciated...” Jin Ling mumbled, averting his eyes. The excuse of not being able to remember anything wouldn’t save him.
He was lucky when Sizhui still found time to smile as he worked on undoing the ties of his robe; but not lucky enough to avoid being an open target to tease. “Of course! I promised I’d share, didn’t I Buttercup?”