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When Shi Qingxuan descends with a bottle of good wine to see their friend, they really didn't expect this outcome.
Xie Lian had once said that his cultivation forbade excessive drinking – so they brought only one bottle!
However…
Xie Lian snatched the bottle from their hands, promptly unscrewing the thing and started to drink straight from the bottle.
Caught in a moment of shock, Shi Qingxuan had let him drink for a few seconds and by that time the bottle had only one quarter left.
“Your Highness,” they ask in shocked awe.
“What happened?”
Xie Lian cradles the bottle close, clearly not wanting them to snatch it back and sniffles.
“I fucked up,” Xie Lian says morosely.
The Windmaster lifts one finely shaped eyebrow at the curse leaving the prince's lips.
They sit down on the dusty ground of the shrine, right next to him.
“Alright, everyone fucks up sometimes. I'm sure we can fix it,” the Windmaster tries to cheer him up but Xie Lian's face only grows more sad.
“He's never coming back.” he admits quietly.
Huh? He?
Before Shi Qingxuan can inquire more, Xie Lian continues, “I told him to leave, to not follow me anymore. After all the kindness he's shown me–
He was my friend and I was cruel to him.”
Xie Lian lifts the bottle to take another swig, but Shi Qingxuan gently pries it from his hands.
The martial god sniffs again and then buries his head in his hands.
The Windmaster places the bottle to their right, far out of the other god’s reach and then gently embraces Xie Lian in a hug.
🍃
Days later:
“Ming Xiong! You won't believe me! You remember how His Highness Xie Lian was so very close to Crimson Rain right?” The Windmaster had just sat down next to the eating Earthmaster.
All they got as an answer is a glare, while the Earthmaster tries to fit a whole chicken leg in his mouth.
It doesn't fit, so he proceeds to gnaw the meat from the bone.
Shi Qingxuan isn't dissuaded from sharing their story at all and proceeds.
“So. Apparently the both of them had a fight.” They don't notice the subtle change in the posture of the Earthmaster and continue.
“I went down a few days ago with a bottle of wine and His Highness got terribly drunk and was so heartbroken! I couldn't get the exact reason, but it's got to do with Crimson Rain!”
The Earthmaster's quick pace of eating had slowed to a stop now and they look incredulous at the Windmaster.
“Are you sure?” he asks, sounding strangely delighted.
Shi Qingxuan feigns mock offense.
“Of course, would I lie to my best friend?”
🦋
‘20 percent off.’
Hua Cheng suppresses a curse when the familiar voice of the other calamity rings out in his head.
‘Fuck off, or I will add 20 percent to your debt ,’ he answers, not in the mood to talk to Black Water Sinking Ships.
To be fair, he hadn't been in the mood for anything at all, since his Highness got angry with him and sent him away. He even said he wasn't allowed to send his butterflies.
His Highness words were law. Always were – if they weren't harmful to his Highness himself.
So when the both of them came back to Puji shrine after a day of planting rice in the village's fields, his Highness had suddenly turned angry.
He told him to not do it, if he didn't mean it at all – and then sent him away.
Hua Cheng was just–
Hua Cheng was confused about what he had done. He hadn't done anything differently than before.
He sinks down further into his throne in the Gambling Den, when another patron of the den wants to make a bet.
His wife's life for immeasurable riches.
He loses bitterly and is thrown out of the den. He will make sure the woman is given work here and if the husband is plagued by misfortune from now on, it's coincidence.
‘Crimson Rain. Stop moping.’
He Xuan really has a death wish, Hua Cheng decides then.
‘Alright, I just added 30 percent to your–’ He Xuan interrupts him mid-sentence.
‘The Windmaster told me the funniest story, really .’ he says and amusement laces his voice.
Hua Cheng doesn't say anything, the Windmaster is His Highness friend, so maybe…?
‘Ah, now you're listening. So. They went down to visit your prince a few days ago and apparently he went dead drunk and started crying that he ruined your friendship and you'll never come back.’
Hua Cheng surges up to sit straight in his chair. His gege did what?
But he sent him away, why would he–
…did he misunderstand the whole situation wrong and let His Highness suffer for days with his absence?!
Hua Cheng stands up and pulls out his dice. A quick throw and twelve dots look up at him and he vanishes back into Paradise Manor. He has to get himself together and see his god again.
‘Don't forget to reduce my debt.’
Hua Cheng ignores him.
🌸
Xie Lian sits in Puji Shrine at his rickety little table and has his face buried in his hands.
Since the Windmaster had left, he'd tried to act like he was okay– but really, he wasn't.
When he tried to cook food, he remembered his sweet San Lang, eating his food and praising him for it.
When he stepped through the door, he remembered his skilled San Lang making it for him.
When he went out to help the villagers–
When he went out to clean before the shrine–
He lets out a groan. He really got himself attached.
But this is just his luck, right? After not falling in love even once in 800 years, he falls in love with the most perfect guy alive, er, unalive.
And of course he is already in love with someone else.
What he really doesn't understand is the signals San Lang gave him.
In the beginning he just thought that San Lang was a nice guy.
That thought vanished quite quickly when he noticed the difference of how he treated others.
Well, San Lang still was nice, but curiously, only with Xie Lian.
So after a while even Xie Lian had to notice the flirting.
And maybe–
maybe he had put a little thought into it and came to the conclusion that San Lang was maybe wanting something more.
Until the day in the fields, Xie Lian had been struggling on how to answer him. He knew that he wanted Hua Cheng but 800 years of abstinence made it hard to find words for what he was feeling.
And then Hua Cheng told those villagers that he had a wife at home. A beautiful, virtuous and noble beloved.
Xie Lian had called him out on the lie and Hua Cheng had agreed but–
“But I do have a beloved. I just haven't won them over yet,” he'd said with a wistful smile.
And–
And Xie Lian felt something surge in his chest, like he'd just drank vinegar.
When the both of them arrived back at the shrine, Xie Lian had–
He'd told him to leave him alone if he didn't mean it. To not come near him again and not his butterflies either.
After that, he'd curled up on his bedroll (the one they regularly shared) and cried.
And shortly after that, Shi Qingxuan had come over with wine and–
He really doesn't remember that much anymore.
He hopes he didn't embarrass himself too much in front of the Windmaster.
Although, he probably did.
He decides he should try again to do something. Something, anything to keep his hands and mind busy. He gets up from the table and moves towards his little stove, when there's a knock on the door.
Xie Lian looks towards the door and wonders who's knocking. Usually the villagers came in the morning and evening, but now it was barely past noon!
There's another knock and Xie Lian walks to the door and pulls it open.
Xie Lian's eyes go wide.
In front of the door stands Hua Cheng and–
He's beautiful. Well, he always is, but not being able to see him for days makes him appreciate Hua Cheng's wild beauty even more.
Hua Cheng looks almost nervous, he notices and with a stab of guilt he remembers that this might be because he sent him away. He came back, despite Xie Lian telling him to not return.
“San Lang–” and in the same breath Hua Cheng says, “Gege–”
Both of them fall silent again and after a moment Xie Lian lets out an amused breath.
“You first,” he murmurs.
Hua Cheng gives him a tiny nod and takes an unneeded breath.
“I am sorry, gege. I– truth be told, I am not sure what I did, but whatever it was, it deeply distressed you and for that I am sorry.”
Hua Cheng fiddles with something behind his back and then pulls out a woven bamboo basket with steaming mantous.
“I know, this is not really much, but… but I made them myself and even if you send me away again, you will have something to eat.”
And Xie Lian–
he can't stop the sting of tears in his eyes.
This thoughtful, wonderful man–
“No, I'm sorry, San Lang” he chokes out.
Suddenly there's a feeling of gentle fingers on his cheeks, wiping the tears away.
“Don't cry, gege,” Hua Cheng says and there's panic in his voice.
“But San Lang, I treated you so badly after you've only ever been kind to me.”
Hua Cheng continues to wipe away his pouring tears and lets out a small laugh.
“Gege can treat me however he wants, it will never change my feelings.”
The second half of the sentence he says very quietly, Xie Lian isn't even sure he was supposed to hear the words but he did and–
“You shouldn't tell me that. I don't think your beloved would approve,” he says and instantly regrets his words when he sees Hua Cheng's eye goes round.
His fingers don't stop wiping his tears away, but Xie Lian can see the gears turning in Hua Cheng's head.
“Gege” he starts and there's awe in his voice.
“Gege, were you jealous?” and now there's a hint of teasing in his voice.
“San Lang,” Xie Lian says, staring guiltily at the ground.
“I'm so sorry, I know you have a beloved and yet… there was no way to not fall for you.”
The last part of the sentence, Xie Lian whispers.
All amusement and teasing disappears from Hua Cheng’s face and all he can do is stare at Xie Lian with a shocked expression.
Even his fingers, a moment ago still diligently wiping away the others' tears, have stopped their movement.
Ah, Xie Lian thinks.
He's ruined a perfectly good friendship because he couldn't keep his ugly jealousy inside.
He's sure, Hua Cheng will just tell him kindly that he can't love him back and then leave.
But that's okay, because Xie Lian ruins good things and that's why he can't have them.
He takes a step back to give the Ghost King space and that finally shakes Hua Cheng out of his shock.
His eye is still wide but he is quick as a snake and takes Xie Lian's hands into his own. Xie Lian's eyes snap back up at his face.
Hua Cheng looks still shocked, but there's something hopeful in his gaze.
“Gege, say it again, please,” he says and sounds desperate.
Xie Lian tries to remember what he just said and–
“... I'm sorry?”
Hua Cheng barks a surprised laugh and just like that the tension is broken and Xie Lian pouts.
“Not that Gege, you never need to apologise to me. What you said afterwards.”
Xie Lian scrunches his nose in thought and then feels the tips of his ears grow hot.
Ah.
“That… that I've fallen for you?” he asks tentatively.
Hua Cheng's mouth curves into a handsome smile and suddenly he's so close and embracing him.
Xie Lian's head is gently pressed into the juncture of the ghost's throat and he can feel the other's cheek on his head.
“It's you, gege.” Hua Cheng whispers.
“My beloved has always been you.”
It's–
It's him?
“But how?” Xie Lian asks in a small voice. He wants to believe in Hua Cheng, he wants to believe it so badly. But–
“I am not noble, or virtuous. You painted your beloved in such a beautiful light, but that's not me. Not anymore.”
Hua Cheng pulls back a little and cradles Xie Lian's face in his hands.
“Gege, it's you, believe me. The one standing in infinite glory is you, the one fallen from grace is also you. What matters is you and not the state of you.”
Xie Lian feels tears slip down his cheeks again, but as soon as they do, Hua Cheng is thumbing them away again.
“No matter if you are a dazzling prince, soaring through the air to save a cursed child, or if you spend most of your time collecting scraps through the villages. I will always want to be by your side. “
Xie Lian looks sharply up at the ghost, his eyes wide and teary.
“It's you,” he whispers. “The boy I caught–”
Hua Cheng simply pulls him close again.
“You died in the war, I'm so sor–”
Hua Cheng shushes him.
“I told you, your Highness never needs to apologise to me. To die for you was my greatest honour.” and those words only bring more tears to Xie Lian's eyes.
“I never wanted anyone to die for me,” he mumbles against Hua Cheng’s chest. There's no heartbeat against his cheek, as if mocking him that he was the cause for the other's death.
“I… didn't want to die,” Hua Cheng confesses. “Because you asked me to live for you. And how could I do that if I'd die on a battlefield.”
Xie Lian stiffens again.
“That was you too?” He asks almost inaudibly, shocked that Hua Cheng had been on the end of that embarrassing sentence.
“But gege,” Hua Cheng says reverently. “I am still here. Because I wanted to be with you.”
Hua Cheng takes a deep unneeded breath and continues, ”So I came back as a ghost. And all I wanted is to protect you from anyone wanting to harm you. But I only managed to take those cursed souls.”
Xie Lian wonders that if he stiffens any more in Hua Cheng's embrace, he might turn to stone but–
Cursed souls?
“Wuming?” He breathes out in awe because –
After all this time, After everything he's seen Xie Lian become–
“Gege, it's you, believe me. The one standing in infinite glory is you, the one fallen from grace is also you. What matters is you and not the state of you.”
That's what he said.
And Hua Cheng has ever done anything to make him doubt him.
“San Lang,” he says before the other can say anything.
“I still don’t really understand why you still want to be at my side but–” Xie Lian takes a deep breath and clenches his hands in Hua Cheng’s crimson robes.
“I want you to be with me. Always. And you died twice already for me, I don’t think I can ever take a third time. So please, you have to promise me to not do that ever again.”
He looks up into Hua Cheng’s eye and is overwhelmed by the sheer love shining in the Ghost King’s eye.
The ghost cradles him closer, burying his head into Xie Lian’s soft hair and says, “I’m sorry gege. I can't promise that.”
Xie Lian feels once more the sting of tears in his eyes but Hua Cheng continues.
“If I need to, I will always do it again – but gege, there's something you need to know.”
He gently cradles the god’s face in his hands and bows down until their foreheads touch.
“I will never leave you. I’ll come back, please believe me.”
And Xie Lian believes him.