Chapter Text
Like many things the two did, it all began with a very bored Ghost King.
"Gege," Hua Cheng called out, head resting on Xie Lian's lap, expression scrunching up as if in great suffering, "gege, I'm bored."
"San Lang," Xie Lian let out a resigned sigh, slightly pulling up the scroll he used to hide Hua Cheng's handsome face underneath, "you know I offered the Heavens to look into this…"
Hua Cheng clicked his tongue in annoyance, "A bunch of good-for-nothings. What's the use of the Palace of Ling Wen if gege has to be the one who wastes his time on things like this?"
'Bored,' he had said. Not with each other, never around each other. During their 800 years apart, Hua Cheng seldom got to experience this feeling. If he ever did, it was out of helplessness and loneliness.
However, at that time, he couldn't allow himself to get distracted, channeling all of his might into his centuries-long search and journey towards invincibility.
Trash gambling their life away, looking for shelter, looking for justice, Hua Cheng couldn't bring himself to care at all, he only wished for His Highness' eyes on him… and now that he had him by his side, those eyes were occupied, running over meaningless phrases, useless strings of words on pieces of paper. He even added in a stern voice, "You know you can always help me copy these…"
"Oh. But we both know how it will turn out if I do. Besides," Hua Cheng reached to play with the sash of Xie Lian's robes, idly twirling it around his long finger, "gege knows my interests are… very limited."
Xie Lian didn’t even spare him a glance, just guided the unruly hand away from his robes, the knot already heeding due to Hua Cheng's ministrations.
Xie Lian was the opposite. He learned to get used to boredom. He both secretly feared and embraced it. A breather between his years plagued by misfortune and solitude.
Despite being curious by nature, he learned his way not to ask, not to pry into things, unless there was someone's life at stake or somebody specifically opened up to him.
Just like Hua Cheng did now, spoiled to the utmost, but sincere nevertheless.
Eyes glazing over the strokes on the ancient parchment in his hands, Xie Lian didn’t register the words anymore, silently musing.
In truth, boredom became a luxury they could now afford. It meant something precious, something that signified that everything is at peace.
His thoughts being the final push, Xie Lian heaved a deep sigh again—a similar one he did before. Then, he carefully put the scroll away.
"Alright. What does San Lang have in mind?"
Hua Cheng didn't bother getting up from Xie Lian's lap, just stared at him challengingly. He lifted his hand, fingers glazing over the V-line of Xie Lian's outer robes in a tantalizing way.
Of course San Lang's has that on his mind, Xie Lian thought, his face heating up as Hua Cheng's adventurous digits dipped under the hem of the fabric.
Despite the mischievous act, when he spoke his voice was overly gentle.
"Gege is wearing the robes from before?"
First, Xie Lian didn't know what he was talking about, then he realized: today he indeed, put on one of his older robes, not amongst the many others gifted by Hua Cheng, every single piece of the finest material, soft to the touch like clouds.
"Your Highness is a raving beauty, looking stunning in every robe and naturally, he looks exceptional without one." Hua Cheng said, lips curling upwards upon seeing Xie Lian turning pink at his words. "Still, he deserves the most lavish clothing all the time."
Xie Lian disagreed.
"One should wear everything until it lasts. These robes are not that old and besides," he reasoned, "if I'd always wear the ones you gave me they'll sooner or later look like this one on me as well."
Hearing that, Hua Cheng's hands paused. He looked up at Xie Lian seriously, "You know I wouldn't mind buying ten thousand new robes for you."
"I know, but really, they're not that bad," Xie Lian leaned above Hua Cheng a bit more. His index finger tapped lightly between his husband's eyebrows, soothing the deep furrow there. Hua Cheng closed his eye shut, enjoying the touch. Xie Lian let his finger slide down, trailing the handsome arch of his nose. Reaching the tip, Xie Lian playfully flicked it, "won't my San Lang believe me?"
"I always do and I always will," Hua Cheng swore, sincerity not faltering, even after he continued in a lighter tone, "however, if gege is willing, I can think of a few ways to help you convince me."
"Convince you?" Xie Lian echoed, amusement seeping into his voice. "How? By making you wear it?"
Hua Cheng's eye which was previously twinkling with mischief widened slightly. He stared at Xie Lian for a few moments but soon regained composure.
"I was going to suggest something else, but this works, too."
Xie Lian's mind hadn't even had the chance to catch up, the next thing he knew was that the one lounging bonelessly on his lap was donning the exact cultivation robes as him. He even changed into his younger skin, eyes never leaving Xie Lian as he sat up with his long legs neatly folded under him, his expression serene.
Xie Lian blinked once. And twice. Then burst out laughing.
"Ahahhaha, San Lang, look at you. You look so obedient and good. And white isn't a bad look on you."
Actually, Hua Cheng looked dashing in white, but Xie Lian long suspected he could wear a dirty coarse sack and still pull it off. The daopao framed his figure perfectly, highlighting his fair skin and youthful elegance, painting a picture of a diligent student.
"We're so much alike, looking like we were a pair of disciples under the same master."
Imagining how the State Preceptor Mei Nianqing would react to a student like Hua Cheng only made Xie Lian laugh even harder. "You would be so reckless like a spoiled, wilful child. Guoshi would always make you copy sutras. Then he would look at your calligraphy and make you copy some more, hahaha…"
Hua Cheng gave him a complicated look that could only mean 'No thank you'.
"Very funny, Your Highness. But I'm afraid you forgot about my shixiong."
"Your shixiong?" Xie Lian repeated, feeling puzzled. How could he not? If they were under the same master, Hua Cheng's shixiong would be none other than Xie Lian!
"En. My shixiong is a noble, gracious, extraordinarily talented man. If I were to set my eyes on Your Highness, even for a second, I would have chosen a sensible cultivation path where the more spiritual power I obtain the more I…"
Xie Lian moved to smack a hand on that sinful mouth before he could finish.
It was Hua Cheng's turn to chuckle, hands tugging on Xie Lian's wrist to move it away, spouting nonsense unperturbed.
"I'd be an attentive disciple, most eager to learn… to please."
He slowly leaned closer, his exhales tickling the soft skin behind Xie Lian's ear, "Think about it, Your Highness. The Crown Prince of Xianle dual-cultivating with his shidi… scandalous isn't it?"
"Or we can change it up a little. I can be a renowned, humble daozhang, secretly dual-cultivating with His Royal Highness, The Crown Prince…"
"That would be even more scandalous," Xie Lian muttered. Which coincidentally meant that's even more to Hua Cheng's liking—he raised a suggestive brow at him as if saying 'Thank you, I'm filing these ideas for later.'
Picturing how his future self will have to put up with this wicked cultivator's seduction, Xie Lian decided to honor himself in advance and the best way to do so is to catch Hua Cheng off-guard.
"But if we intend to change things up, wouldn't that mean San Lang should be the prince?"
Hua Cheng always seemed to appreciate when he took initiative. "Gege is very right, we should do that," he purred. "How about a Sly Crimson Fox Prince, seducing the shy tao master?"
Xie Lian ignored the embers burning inside his lower abdomen and only beamed.
"Hm. If that's San Lang's wish. Lucky for you, I have experience, so I can give you some lessons to help you hone the act."
"What a dream," Hua Cheng said earnestly, a shadow of a giddy smile lurking in his tone.
Xie Lian hummed again.
"My clothes might have been not that impressive since I began practicing cultivation so early on, but since San Lang said he refuses a path of purity it's not an issue. Oh, I know!" Xie Lian pounded his fist into his palm in feigned enlightenment. "There is one that comes to mind and we can use."
Taking in the slight change in Hua Cheng's demeanor, he delivered the final blow. He nodded, looking at Hua Cheng meaningfully. "I'm sure San Lang is very familiar with the one I'm thinking of. You told me yourself that you're quite fond of it."
Of course, Hua Cheng liked it, it was the perfect replica of Xie Lian's God-Pleasing Crown Prince outfit, tucked inside in the depth of their bedchambers, strictly worn for certain occasions at Hua Cheng's very special request.
Imagining Hua Cheng's black hair secured in place with a gilded jade hairpiece, or the golden hems decorating the innocently white robes, the colorful beads and silk bands hugging his hips and waist tightly, dangling around as he moves, his sleeves fluttering in the wind like silver butterflies made Xie Lian feel a certain way.
It seemed to have the opposite effect on Hua Cheng.
"I wouldn't dare," he grumbled, becoming pensive. Xie Lian couldn't help but laugh heartily.
"Hahaha, San Lang, this reminds me of the time you disguised yourself as a cute little kid and answered everything I asked with "The one is red', hahahaha."
"'Who's the most powerful, who's the most handsome, who's the smartest, who's the richest, hahaha," Xie Lian recited, rubbing happy tears from the corner of his eyes.
"Is this still so funny?" Hua Cheng asked, clearly sulking. Hearing that Xie Lian's bubbling laughs never ceased, he mumbled half-heartedly, "As long as gege is having fun…"
But no matter how Xie Lian tried to overpower him, Hua Cheng has always been more of an expert when it came to teasing. Thus, it only took this long for Hua Cheng to recover, asking, "But if I dress up as a prince, how about gege dresses up like a King too?"
The meaning behind his voice was clear: one can't be without the other; if one of us is the God-Pleasing Crown Prince there has to be a Crimson Rain Sought Flower.
"You mean…?"
"It's a long-held wish of mine." Hua Cheng's eyes abruptly darkened, his voice dropping low.
"I can't shapeshift…"
"No need," Hua Cheng said, already holding out something. It was another set of his Ghost King attire he got from who-knows-where, crimson-colored robes tempting him, the jewelry glowing enticingly.
"Your Highness, allow me…"
Undressing was a familiar act, the simple, white cultivation robes on Xie Lian got peeled away layer by layer, only to be replaced by Hua Cheng's usual ones: a comfortable white undershirt, silky to the touch.
It wasn't the first time Hua Cheng offered to dress Xie Lian up and not the first time Xie Lian wore red, either, yet something was mesmerizing in the way Hua Cheng helped him into the maple-colored robes, followed by his signature silver jewelry. His movements were unhurried and gentle to the utmost, but they left Xie Lian more flustered than ever as he bowed his head for the butterfly necklace. He straightened his arms for the vambraces, the cold silver sliding along his clothed forearms sending pleasant chills down his spine.
"Done," Hua Cheng said, his voice merely above a whisper.
"Do I look like my Ghost King, His Almighty?" Xie Lian asked, holding out his hands in front of him, admiring the cold shimmer of carved leaves, butterflies, and beasts.
Hua Cheng didn't answer immediately. His gaze was unreadable; it was hard to tell if he was relishing in what he sees or if he wants to rumple, tear apart, dishevel, and devour. He took a few steps back as if to feast his eyes on Xie Lian more.
"En. Very much so," finally he said, voice low and eyes dark. "Gege's been in a good mood today. I wonder if he's willing to play a new game with me?"
"What game?" Xie Lian asked back.
"Your Highness looks breathtaking in my robes… what if he not only looks like, me but to make things more interesting, he could also say things like I would."
"Are you saying you should act like me and I should act like you?" Xie Lian asked.
Hua Cheng hummed approvingly. His wide white sleeves were pooling down as he crossed his arms before his chest, wearing an indulgent look Xie Lian recognized as his own. "Precisely. What do you think?"
"I'm not opposed," Xie Lian admitted, feeling curious himself. "What's next?"
"That's for Your Highness to decide."
"Hm," Xie Lian pondered, supporting this chin with his thumb in great concentration, "how about we... spar for a bit?"
UPDATE: The Twitter poll CLOSED, with [ 52%] spar for a bit as the winner. Thank you for everyone who participated, don't be discouraged if your choice didn't win this time—certain scenarios (like 🖌️) might come back later. See you with some hualian sparring! ⚔️