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Upon returning from his usual walk in the mortal realm, Xie Lian had a sort of perplexed, pleased look on his face. As he sat down on the edge of his and Hua Cheng’s bed, he couldn’t seem to stop smiling.
Of course, ever in tune with his husband’s emotions, Hua Cheng noticed. He was already in bed, his red robe hanging open across his chest, holding a book in one hand. He placed the novel down on the mattress and propped himself up on one elbow.
“Did something happen while gege was out today?” he asked.
Xie Lian liked to go on walks in the mortal realm every so often. Although Puqi Shrine itself had been bulldozed years ago, that region still recognized him as a god, and still worshipped the Scrap Immortal in their own homes, at personal shrines. Xie Lian liked checking in on the people when he could.
The world had changed a lot over the past centuries, and Xie Lian usually returned to Paradise Manor with a little crease in his brow. He never talked about why those visits soured his mood—whenever Hua Cheng asked, Xie Lian would just dismiss it with a smile—but Hua Cheng could tell.
Xie Lian didn’t feel like he fit into the mortal world anymore. Everyone he knew that helped build Puqi Shrine up was long dead. Now, these new humans were kind, and they liked seeing him visit, but everything was different. Cities were overwhelming, there were more people than ever before. Even what people wore had changed somewhere along the way.
Hua Cheng hardly bothered himself with interacting with humans, but he’d been able to adapt to the modern world better than his husband had. So, it made him happy to see Xie Lian coming back from his visit in an improved mood.
Xie Lian nodded in response to Hua Cheng’s question and scooted further back onto the bed. He let his hair out of it’s tie and let the length of it fall down around his shoulders. “There was a party in the street. I wasn’t expecting it, but everyone seemed to be having fun.”
“Oh?” Hua Cheng lifted his eyebrows.
“It was a parade, I think,” Xie Lian explained. “As big and grand as the ones in Xianle. I’ve never seen so many rainbows in one place.”
He dug something out of his bag and held it up. It was a massive folding fan, made of rainbow fabric. “Someone gave this to me. He wished me a ‘happy pride.’”
Now, Hua Cheng understood. He didn’t usually take stock of the months—when you’re undying, time doesn’t really matter—but he was pretty sure that it was June. “That must have been a pride parade that gege saw.”
“A pride parade?” Xie Lian shed his white cardigan and lay at Hua Cheng’s side, cuddling into the crook of his body. He prefered to wear his traditional clothes when he was in Ghost City, but when he was with the humans, he tried to dress like them. “Is that a new thing?”
“New to you,” Hua Cheng answered affectionately. “Humans have been having them for decades at this point.”
“What are they for?” Xie Lian rolled over so that they were facing each other.
“They’re for a lot of different people.” Hua Cheng shrugged. “People like us, for example.”
“Like us?”
“We’re both attracted to men. I think the term people use these days is ‘gay.’”
“I didn’t realize that was something to be celebrated.”
“You deserve to be celebrated, gege.”
Xie Lian smiled and patted Hua Cheng’s cheek lovingly. “But it’s not only for ‘people like us?’”
“It’s for anyone in the LGBTQ+ community.” When Xie Lian just blinked at him, Hua Cheng realized that he would have to elaborate a bit more. He was happy to, although he didn’t know everything himself. “It stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and more—that’s the plus. But it’s not the sort of thing I can explain easily. It’s the sort of thing you have to experience.”
“I see.” Xie Lian nodded. “I’m sorry for asking so many questions. I suppose I’m more out of touch with the mortal world than I’d like to believe.”
“That’s alright, gege. I love answering your questions.”
“I think I’m a bit of an old man.”
“I’m as old as you.”
“Yet you’re so in-tune with everything, San Lang.” Xie Lian smiled, but it was a bit sad. “It’s admirable. Some days, I wish I could adapt as easily as you do.”
There was a moment of silence, in which Hua Cheng took a moment to think. Then, he asked, “Did gege like the parade a lot?”
Xie Lian nodded. “I wish I could have seen more of it. Mortals always have so much fun.”
“What if it doesn’t have to be just for mortals?” Hua Cheng smirked as an idea began to formulate in his head. “What if we had our own pride parade, right here in Ghost City?”
❤️🧡💛💚💙💜🤎🖤🩷🤍🩵
Xie Lian should have expected Hua Cheng to go all-out for this Ghost City pride parade. However, he definitely underestimated what his husband would be able to organize in just a few days. He usually avoided parties and party planning, but he threw himself into the parade, and on the actual day, it was bigger and brighter and more beautiful than Xie Lian would have ever expected.
Xie Lian stood in the street, staring with wide eyes at the rainbow banners hanging between the buildings, and the ghosts wearing clothes in various color combinations. Shimmery, rainbow confetti seemed to materialize out of the air itself, with seemingly no source, and it was so loud, and so filled with music, that Xie Lian’s head was practically spinning right off of his shoulders. It was overwhelming, but it also filled Xie Lian with swelling passion.
When someone touched his shoulder, Xie Lian finally got his bearings. He turned around to find Shi Qingxuan grinning at him. Xie Lian hadn’t expected to see him here, but he realized that Hua Cheng must have invited some of his non-ghost friends to the event.
“Xie Lain!” Shi Qingxuan was practically shouting to be heard over the din. He was wearing a skirt with a very modern crop top, and he had a pink, blue, and white flag clutched in his one, good hand. “Isn’t this amazing?”
“Yes, it is,” Xie Lian agreed. “Have you ever been to an event like this before?”
“Oh, definitely.” Shi Qingxuan seemed very much in his element, so Xie Lian believed him. “Hua Cheng really went above and beyond, though! I wonder why?”
Xie Lian smiled softly to himself. It was flattering that Hua Cheng did all of this for him. It made him feel one with the modern world. “Who knows?”
“Well, whatever the reason is, I’m going to keep looking around,” Shi Qingxuan squeezed Xie Lian’s arm as he turned away. He tossed a cheerful, “Happy pride!” over his shoulder, and then continued on his way.
Xie Lian turned around and ran face-first into someone’s red-clad chest. He looked up at Hua Cheng’s smiling face. “I was just about to look for you,” the ghost king said. “What do you think, gege?"
“I think it’s beautiful, San Lang.” Xie Lian reached up to cup his husband’s face, and he brought him down to his height to kiss him softly on the lips. “All of this just for me…”
“Only the best for gege,” Hua Cheng returned the kiss. “I made sure that this would be the biggest pride parade in history. You’ve missed out on so many, so we have to make up for lost time.”
Then, Hua Cheng pressed a cold palm into the small of Xie Lian’s back and started leading him through the crowd. Xie Lian allowed his husband to guide him, but he asked, “Where are we going?”
“I have a surprise for you.” Hua Cheng took his other hand and gently placed it over Xie Lian’s eyes. “Keep your eyes shut. No peeking.”
It was cute how excited Hua Cheng was, so Xie Lian followed along with his little game. He could tell that they didn’t walk for very long. And when Hua Cheng took his hand away and told Xie Lian to open his eyes, Xie Lian’s mouth fell open.
In the middle of the street was a massive float, with two throne-like chairs at the very top. As Xie Lian stared up at the towering structure. Hua Cheng produced a rainbow bead necklace and placed it around Xie Lian’s neck, alongside a kiss.
“For you, gege.” Hua Cheng started climbing the stairs leading to the top of the float and held a hand out to Xie Lian to help him up.
Xie Lian took him by the fingers and followed after. “We should do this every year, San Lang. Everyone seems to love it.”
“They better love it.” Hua Cheng helped Xie Lian into his seat and sat heavily in his own. He wasn’t wearing anything rainbow-themed himself, but somehow he seemed to fit in comfortably amongst everything else. The float wasn’t rainbow either, but rather red, silver, and white. Still, it fit right in. “I spared no expense.”
“It was worth it.” Xie Lian said. He had his own chair, but he got up and sat in Hua Cheng’s lap, shamelessly showing his love for his husband in front of every person in attendance. It was pride, after all, this wasn’t the time to be shy about public displays of affection. “Maybe next time, we invite mortals as well? I’m sure they would love to experience the Ghost King’s impeccable taste.”
Hua Cheng rolled his eye a little, but he could never say no to Xie Lian. He nodded. “I’ll consider it…”
There was a roar from the crowd as the parade jerked to a start. Theirs wasn’t the only float, but it lead the procession. Behind them were smaller floats, and street performances, and musicians. Everyone in Ghost City came together to make today a reality, and Xie Lian felt his love for the place like a hummingbird in his heart.
“Gege.”
Xie Lian looked back at his husband with a smile.
“Happy pride… I’m glad that I get to spend it with you.”
And Xie Lian was happy too. Happy that he got to be with Hua Cheng. Happy that they could do this together. “Happy pride, San Lang. And I hope we share many more.”