Chapter Text
Jiyan found it endearing how it took them that long to make homes out of each other. He knew the kind of person Calcharo was, and he had long accepted that just because all the things that escalated between the two of them had been a sure thing didn’t mean that it was an easy thing. Jiyan couldn’t leave Jinzhou, that was a given, so Calcharo made it his personal mission to come back to see the general often. In fact, so often that the Ghost Hounds had grown accustomed to having to come and leave Jinzhou every now and then, they ended up having their own base in, after a long consideration done by Calcharo, and truth be told it was a good idea. The people of Jinzhou were very welcoming, and the general himself was delighted to have them close.
After a long day of drills and border patrol, Jiyan came home that night to bite into a piece of chopped bitberries in his dinner. His whole face scrunched up. It was supposed to be his turn to cook tonight, but Calcharo, who sat across from him, offered to do it instead since he was on a day off. Jiyan looked like he was braving himself to say something. He chewed, opened his mouth, closed it, chewed again, then opened his mouth again, a second away from speaking up. Calcharo beat him to it, “Either you finish your food or you’re sleeping on the couch tonight.”
Jiyan choked on a laugh, properly swallowing his food before actually speaking this time, “I wasn’t gonna say anything!”
“You looked like it. Eat up,” Calcharo reprimanded.
“This is really good,” Jiyan let up. He took another spoonful and nodded his head to show that he was being genuine.
Calcharo blinked at him, clearly amused.
It wasn’t like he was going to say something bad about the food, he was just not expecting it. He hadn't had warm, cooked bittberries ever since he left his parents’ house. In all honesty, Jiyan very much enjoyed what he had on his plate, it reminded him of his mother, whom he hadn’t visited in a while. He made a mental note to do it soon. He wondered if she would like to meet Calcharo, and then he wondered if maybe he should have worried about the other way around.
Jiyan smiled to himself and looked at Calcharo, who leaned back on his chair. He watched as Calcharo caught his eyes and looked back at him, still the same cold gray stare like the ones that stumbled upon him for the first time near the borders of Huanglong. A year ago, he wouldn’t even have dared to wish for something like this. Calcharo in his kitchen, wearing Jinzhou clothes and making Jinzhou food, looking as handsome as ever. Jiyan thought that he made the mistake of saying it out loud, he wasn’t sure, but Calcharo’s chin slightly tilting up was a giveaway. He didn’t mind. He loved that playful smile. “How did you spend your day off?”
“We were out of almost everything, so I went into the city this afternoon to shop at Mahe’s. I saw that the bittberries were a new addition, he didn’t have them the last time I went there a couple of weeks ago. I bought some and then Mahe told me that they make a good vinegar replacement.”
“This does taste good, but I’m afraid that Mahe is out to get me. One would think he wanted you to domesticate a dragon.” Jiyan looked up at him, chin resting on the palm of his hand, “I have got to kiss the cook for this, though, seriously.”
Calcharo cocked his head, the proud hound that he was, “That doesn’t sound so bad. Who could have thought that a hound could bring a dragon to his knees.”
Jiyan shrugged, “All it took was a few bittberries,”
“And a lot of unnecessary complaints,” Calcharo tsked.
“I don’t mind them this time,” Jiyan chuckled and took another spoonful into his mouth. He didn’t realize that he was that hungry. “I won’t ever mind, not if it’s you.”
Calcharo hummed, “You’ll have to give the chef a personal compliment, I think he would appreciate that.”
“Well, I hope the chef is hungry,” Jiyan brought his finger to his mouth, licking the sweet and sour sauce off of it, “I’d love to return the favor and personally treat him to a really nice meal tonight.”