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Ghost city is lively. His Highness has been reunited with Crimson Rain; love is in the air.
There’s an unmistakable chill in the wind — not as harsh as previous months. If he knew any better he would cherish it, for an even more unbearable heat will come to pass later.
But he can’t. Maybe it’s because he doesn’t want to. Or he doesn’t deserve to.
Even though his black sleeves embrace him, his heart is ice.
Yin Yu is absolutely miserable.
He’s found himself in a whump since the final battle took place; who wouldn’t be? Once again, his shidi found something to surpass him in. He’s not surprised anymore, but he still sulks anyways.
Crimson Rain pitied him a bit – well, no. Who’s kidding, His Highness probably suggested a break on his behalf. He cherishes the kindness, but the last thing he needs right now is to be alone with his own thoughts.
He’d just busied himself with wandering the streets idly instead. If he wasn’t offered a distraction, then he’d just have to find one himself.
He readjusted the mask on his face.
…
The heavens above must be laughing at him. Is his existence some kind of joke? There's absolutely nothing to do! The streets are beyond calm and everyone's happy about their Chengzu’s return – Don't be mistaken! He's ecstatic about this as well! It’s just… ugh. Someone give him something to do! Anything!
Yin Yu feels absolutely useless. He gives up his pointless meandering, and makes his way back to paradise manor so he can unhappily mope in his own space. He still has a reputation to uphold, after all.
His earlier complaints are going to come back and bite him straight in the ass.
The walk to paradise manor is about one incense time. He doesn’t sense any presence within the exquisite building; Crimson Rain and His Highness must be at Puqi Shrine for the time being.
Yin Yu’s pale hand grasps the ornate silver doorknob, and he begins to pull the door open—
Violent footsteps at an all-too-familiar speed race closer and closer.
“Shixiong! SHIIIXXXIOOONNGG!”
Holy shit.
Yin Yu’s ghosty complexion lightens beyond all possibility. Before that oddly familiar voice could even take its next breath, the ghostly boy had thrown the door open and made a mad dash inside.
“SHIXIONG! WAIT!!”
Without hesitation, the boy followed in pursuit. Such reflexes are to be expected from a martial god.
Yin Yu made several violent turns. Paradise Manor was an endless maze; navigating it was one of the few upper hands he had above his shidi. Yes, the boisterous and too-determined boy chasing him was indeed his younger sect brother — and a former-fellow god he had quite the confusing background with — Quan Yizhen.
He cursed his previous self for wishing for something to keep him occupied, because the heavens sent their most rambunctious solution.
Being alone with his thoughts was only the second most horrifying thing ever. The first place spot was occupied by this fluffy boy who burned brighter than the sun.
His face flushed with a faint blush. Being a ghost, there wasn’t much blood to rush there in the first place. Yin Yu really didn’t feel like processing his beyond complicated feelings about the boy right now; especially not against his own will. Too bad he doesn’t have the earth master shovel right now.
He pulls dice out his pocket, and tosses them in an attempt at escape, but this only causes a falter in his movements. His shidi is quicker than him, and this was all it took for said shidi to come violently crashing into him, unaware of his own speed.
Yin Yu let out a muffled humph as he was crushed to the ground; Yizhen had no mercy in his capture. Perhaps, he too, isn’t thinking entirely straight.
Warm arms wrapped around him, squeezing out airy breaths. He felt warm pants brushing against the back of his neck and his ear. It sent light goosebumps throughout his cold body, and he shivered ever so faintly.
“Shixiong… stop… running…”
Yin Yu struggled in his arms. His unconfrontational head butted against the younger boy's very blunt one.
“Shixiong— please… please just let me talk to you… I need to tell you things. This shidi will never bother you again after if it’s what you want…”
Quan Yizhen sounded like a pathetic wet little puppy. It made Yin Yu’s frosty heart ache. He doesn’t want to inflict more pain on the boy. He’s already caused enough damage; his presence is tainting enough. It’s best to stay as far away as possible.
He contemplated his request. It wasn’t like he could do anything to resist this overly persistent boys will — if he wanted something done, it would happen. It just mattered how much brute force was needed to accomplish it.
Yin Yu turned his head to the side slightly, his face was against the ground, being held down by the body weight on top of him. “Fine. But first, let me up. I can’t think coherently like this.”
“Does shixiong promise not to run…?”
He looked back slightly and saw golden eyes peering into his own, filled with hesitance. He looked away and sighed.
“I promise. Just make it quick — I have… um. Matters to attend to. Urgent ones.”
Quan Yizhen looked around the empty Paradise Manor a little doubtful, but chose not to object to his shixiong's poor excuse. Quite poor it was indeed for even himself to notice the lie.
Yizhen hesitantly sat up, sitting on his knees with his hands on his lap. He was very behaved; too much so. He looked very tense. His hands nervously fidgeted together as he watched Yin Yu slowly rise as well, facing him. They both sat on the floor of the manor, in an awkward silence.
Yin Yu eyed around nervously, before clearing his throat. Quan Yizhen slightly jolted, before beginning his ramble.
“I- um. This shidi wants to ask… why does Shixiong keep avoiding me…?” He’s blunt and straight to the point as usual, but his words were slightly hindered by an obvious unease.
“Well. I understand some of it I think… but I miss shixiong… my heart hurts very bad whenever I think about him. Please just…” His voice trails off, and his hands shake with a mask that’s slipping. He slightly glances up at Yin Yu, trying to see his reaction.
Yin Yu’s breath falters slightly, and words seem to escape him. The continuous chase did a lovely job at conveying the younger boys feelings … somewhat … but hearing the panicked words spill out onto the ground himself fills him with immense unease.
His mind drifts a bit. Yin Yu’s done a lot of things. The only things that come to his mind surrounding the boy that sits in front of him are overwhelmingly negative. He does not deserve his presence, especially not the vulnerability and innocence of one who thinks he himself is in the wrong when it’s really the other way around.
“Yizhen…”
Pale fingers grip at black fabric, clenching so hard that the skin underneath slightly aches in pain.
“This one is none deserving of your presence. You are better off without me; I have done nothing but bring harm.”
The god looked up at him again, with slight confusion twisting his expression.
“Shixiong made mistakes… but they have been long forgiven. I don’t care anymore. All I want is to be friends again.”
What?
Yin Yu felt all his breath escape him.
“Especially because— um… well… His Highness said I wasn’t supposed to tell you but, it wasn’t even your fault to begin with, and this shidi doesn’t want his shixiong to blame himself.”
What.
Yin Yu’s already ghostly complexion paled even whiter. All of the blood that somehow rushed to his face has long since evaporated. Yin Yu hopes that his soul will be next, because he really can’t take it anymore.
“W-wha… how… what? You…”
Yin Yu’s head was spinning. He saw panic flash in his shidi’s eyes, as he quickly tossed his hands up and shook them while explaining.
“No matter! It’s okay, pretend I didn’t say anything! My point is… I forgive shixiong so… please forget about the whole situation! Please, let’s just be friends again…”
He took a deep breath. “Yizhen… there’s no dismissing my actions. There was a line, and I crossed it. You— don’t forgive me. Not this easily.”
Yin Yu suddenly shot straight up; filled to the brim with adrenaline in his state of panic. He hurriedly fetched the dice that’d fallen to the floor, and tossed them again, dashing maniacally to the closest door.
He knew better than to underestimate the sheer willpower of his younger sect brother, but thinking was the last thing his crazed mind was doing right now. Yizhen leaped onto him, and they both fell through the door together, crashing into Yin Yu’s room.
The older boy squirmed like a fish, trying to shove the younger off. In his haze, he flipped over and attempted to push and shove with all his strength, but his shidi just looked him in the eyes with concern and guilt; he couldn’t bear seeing the other this way.
“Shixiong…” his voice trailed off.
Of course. Of course Quan Yizhen knew the truth; it came straight from His Highnesses mouth apparently — a strange coincidence that he and his partner were nowhere to be seen at the present moment. Even stranger how the martial god’s sudden attack happened to be right when he finally got some time to himself. Truly strange!
In the afterlife, his soul was supposed to be resting in peace, but this has to be the furthest thing from it. He lets out a frustrated grunt as his arms go limp and fall to his sides.
His inner turmoil was cut short when he heard sniffling on top of him; something warm dripped onto his face, and he looked up.
His shidi was staring at him with guilty, tear-filled eyes. He quietly sniffed, for his emotions were too overwhelming for him as well. Yin Yu felt a tinge in his heart. Perhaps they were more similar than he’d remembered.
He felt himself instinctively reaching up to brush a tear from his cheek, and the younger leaned into the touch. The warmth of his face immediately sent tingles throughout his entire hand. A ghost had no right to bask in the gentle warmth of the sun. He did not retract; for he wished to let himself be greedy, just this once.
“T-this shidi doesn’t understand… has he done something wrong that he’s not forgiven for?”
Yin Yu’s hand froze.
“Huh? No— of course not! Why… why do you think this…?”
Yizhen blinked, the motion causing the tears welling up to fall along with the others. He tilted his head slightly, giving the one below him a questioning glance. Sniffling, “I forgave shixiong, but he still runs. Everything’s supposed to be okay now. My heart hurts very bad. Why don’t you want to see me? All I want is to see you.”
Quan Yizhen leaned in closer, and his choked breaths grazed against Yin Yu’s face, sending warmth throughout the ladders whole body like an electric current. These feelings are too confusing.
“I see… Yizhen, I’m not angry at you. It’s the last thing I am. It’s just… I can’t imagine how this one is even slightly worthy of forgiveness.” His shoulders tensed, and his shakily hands pressed at the others chest, in a weak attempt to break free. “It’s better if you leave. It’s not good for you to be around someone like me, you see…”
All of a sudden, he was cut off by a hand cupping his cheek, and a forehead pressed against his. Someone take his heart and shred it into pieces. This proximity is far too much for someone as messy and complicated as he is.
“Stop talking. I forgive shixiong, and that’s final. You can’t make me not do it!” The god pressed his body further against the other. “This one likes him very much! If he’s so hesitant to believe it, than this shidi will have to prove it to him instead.”
What.
Yin Yu let out a choked noise, as flush spread throughout his face. Sensing his incoming rebuttal, Yizhen leaned in and pressed their lips together, silencing the other person.
The ghost's hands shot straight into the air, before frantically grasping onto the upper person's robes. He did not pull away; he didn’t want to, and he was unsure what doing so would do to the other person's emotions.
After a couple of seconds, Quan Yizhen pulled a couple inches away, a sliver of spit still connecting the two of them. His face is also covered in blush — which looks lovely with his freckles, Yin Yu may add.
“Does shixiong believe me now?”
Yin Yu is completely out of it for a couple of seconds, before making a gentle hum of contemplation. Yes, his point has been very much proven. The guilt gnawing at his heart has subsided for the faintest of seconds, so he lets himself indulge just a bit. “Mm… this shixiong thinks… he might need a bit more proving.”
Quan Yizhen looks a little startled for a second, but that look quickly fades, replaced by a warm look of adoration. His finger gently trails along the pale cheek of the ghost, before leaning back in, for a more tender and longer-lasting kiss.
Yizhen broke the kiss, his half lidded eyes staring at the person under him. His flushed lips opened as he breathed out, “Shixiong… your urgent matters…”
Yin Yu moved his hands up to grasp the younger’s hair, and pulled him back down into the kiss. “It’s no matter…” His words were muffled, he didn’t bother breaking proximity to speak them. He had too many emotions and didn’t feel like thinking about them right now. All that he knew is that this felt nice. Being against Yizhen felt nice.
The god pulled away again, and they locked eyes. Yin Yu wasn’t great with eye contact, but this time, he couldn’t bring himself to look away from those bright eyes. Both of their mouths hung open slightly; the sun's warm breath mixed with the moon's cooler.
Yizhen leaned down and buried his head into the crook of the older’s neck, humming with much contentment. He wrapped his arms around Yin Yu, and nuzzled deeper into the embrace. The ghost reciprocated, one hand tracing along the firm and muscular back of the boy while the other continued threading through the messy brown curls on his head.
“This one has missed you very much.” He giggled a little bit, and tilted his head to peek up at the dark eyes of the other.
“The feeling is mutual. I-…” Yin Yu trailed off, the anxiety coming back to bite him now that the heat’s faded somewhat— his thoughts are interrupted when he processes the warm weight, smushing him to the ground with much affection. There was no doubt behind the intentions; no harm to relax again, the other boy needed this as well. “I won’t leave again. I’m sorry… all of the running I’ve done… there was no consideration for your feelings. The truth is, I— I am scared. I need to process everything still.”
Yizhen pushed himself up from the embrace, and cupped the other's cheek once more, glowing as he did so. “I understand. I will be with you the entire time, okay? Shixiong gets sad when he’s by himself. Shidi will accompany him the whole night; you look very tired!”
Yin Yu sighed, not one of exhaustion or restrained malice, but instead something of vulnerable warmth. “Okay.” The god beamed at his approval, and scooped him into his arms, laying him on the bed, before hopping in himself and laying on top of the other like a fluffy house pet. He didn’t bother to tuck them under the blankets— his warmth was more than enough. He didn’t want to melt the ghost, now.
They lay there in content silence for a couple of minutes. Yin Yu breaks it, gently humming as he reaches a hand to grasp his shidi’s face. The younger boy looked up curiously. Yin Yu stroked his thumb across his cheek, appreciating both the heat and the beauty of the one on top of him. Yizhen adjusted himself upward again, and butted their noses together.
They kissed again, gently. Yin Yu’s cold body flushed violently. He used his other hand—the one which held the curls— to push the boy’s head further against his. Yizhen made a happy noise, and grabbed his shixiong’s face with both his hands. The god licked at the other’s lips, and his mouth slid open. Yin Yu made a soft noise, his hands faltering in their grip. The two only pulled away for the smallest of breaths, before intertwining again in this dance meant just for them.
“Mmmph—“ Yizhen spoke, words muffled, not bothering to pull away before mumbling them. “Shixiong wants more? He's okay with…” he was silenced by lips pressing against him, more harshly; those which made a muffled groan upon the contact, even though they were the ones who pushed further. “Please,” they whispered, which shocked the martial god with the sudden surge of confidence. He’s not one to disobey his shixiong’s commands, so he continued kissing him with increased fervency.
Yizhen attempted to readjust himself while not breaking the kiss. He was a bit clumsy, accidentally pressing himself against the body under him and catching his teeth on the lip inside him. The ghost under him shivered, and the hand grasping his hair yanked with restraint; he ate a beautiful noise that made its way into his mouth.
He did something—not exactly sure what—but it was a good thing, for sure. Seeing his shixiong under him like this filled him with much delight.
He pressed down again, harder this time, and felt those sparks make their way through his body too, groaning quietly. He sees now; it's his groin.
Yizhen pressed his crotch against that of the others, eliciting an even sweeter sound, and hips bucking against his. Oh, he liked this very much. The god pressed into the other's mouth harder, and nibbled at his lip whenever he withdrew for breaths.
Yin Yu was impressed. Well, he would be impressed if he was even thinking clearly right now…— not important. His shidi always learns very quickly. He let himself be pinned down.
He embraced the younger's enthusiastic escalations of contact. He couldn’t stop his hips from rutting upwards whenever they were pressed against; he was sensitive.
Yizhen moved one hand down from Yin Yu’s face and grasped his hip instead, pushing it up. The ghost arched into the touch, for it made the pleasure he was feeling even more intense. They entered a steady rhythm, while never breaking from the kiss. Perhaps, the thought of even separating from him after so long was too much to bear.
“Ah… it. It feels good, shixiong…” Quan Yizhen muffled against his lips. His hips shivered, and he began to increase the speed and pressure of his movements. “Shixiong is so nice…” he clutched the hand around the other's hips harder, shaking ever so slightly.
His shidi was as chatty as ever; it was much to his satisfaction. The desperate chatter in his face only aroused him further. He left out soft moans every time their groins rubbed together, also increasing in his speed and pressure.
“Does shixiong feel good? Ah…” he humped with even more desperation and affection, looking for the older approval. The ghost gently sighed into his mouth, “Mm, yes. I-it’s very good. Very good, Yizhen.”
The one above him let out a gentle cry at that, the hand that was still clutching his jaw moving down to meet the other; both arms wrapped around Yin Yu’s lower torso, pulling him as close as possible. “A-ah! Yizhen… Yizhen!”
He found himself chanting the name of the god who crushed him into the sheets. It felt so good. Too good. He could feel the heat inside his body building; contradictory to the coldness he was feeling not too long prior. Both of his arms moved to grip at the back of the other male, slightly clawing the skin through the robes. He was getting close.
The one on top was in a similar state. His thrusts became quick and sporadic, the pleasure too immense to keep a proper rhythm. “T-this shidi…” he begins, but is caught off by his own whine. Yin Yu digs his nails even harder.
“This shidi loves you very much— ah, please…!” Yin Yu’s face flushes the brightest red; he gasps, and his hips violently stutter upwards. He pulls the boy on top further against his body with all of his strength, crying out. Yizhen jerks violently a few more times, before pressing down as hard as possible, shaking while their lips smush together.
His grip loosens, and his arms fall to his sides. Yin Yu’s arms fall as well, landing directly on top of those of the curlier boys. The two of them lay there for several long minutes, basking in the presence of the other. Their intense breaths gradually slow and calm— their muscles relaxing as well. Clarity seeps in.
Yin Yu readjusts his arms, moving his hands to hold his shidi’s.
He inhales, opening his eyes that he didn’t even realize he had closed, “I… I love you too, Yizhen.”
He hears a gentle gasp, and a head looks up at him, with sparkling golden eyes. Messy brown hair obscures the rest of his face, but he can sense the grin that hides behind it. The younger welcomes the hands happily, clutching them even tighter with excitement.
“Shixiong feels the same?” Even though they just shared a lovely moment together, he couldn’t believe the words he was hearing. Yin Yu chucked, and placed a gentle kiss atop the beautiful curls of his hair.
“Of course. I’m sorry for being distant, and making you feel as if I didn’t. I promise… I promise I will never leave you again. Not in this life; not in the next.” He grinned, withdrawing again to gaze into the sunny eyes of his god. “I’ll be with you forever, as long as you let me.”
Yizhen made a noise of joy, before burying his head into the crook of the ghost's neck again. The two lay there for a very long time, eventually falling asleep, cradled in the other's embrace.
There’s a lot of feelings to process, a lot of explaining to be done, but that’s okay. They have each other, and nothing will change that; never again.